Between the Shadow and the Soul
by LunarMischief189
Summary: How would the events in Harry's Life have changed if he too had written to and befriended the memory of Tom Riddle in the diary.Harry decides to help Tom reunite with himself and go against those who try to manipulate and care about him only when it suits them. Leaving all those behind for the boy who has suffered abuse much like himself. They're really not so different after all.
1. 1

**I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret,between the Shadow and the Soul ~Pablo Neruda**

* * *

 **I am Lord Voldemort**

Harry stared at those words in shock, refusing to believe that which he was seeing with his own eyes.

He starred in horror, feeling himself shatter as he realized the person he had considered his closest friend and savior, was the very person who had orphaned him. The very same being who had almost been his murderer. He repeated those words over and over in his mind for what felt like an eternity, although only a few seconds had really passed. He could not comprehend that the Tom Riddle whom he had been confiding in for a large part of the year, the one he had come to care for deeply was in reality the monster he had been taught to despise. The only one who truly stood by him as the school turned against him in fear, was the one causing the problems in the first place.

"Tom..I don't understand.", Harry stammered, hearing his voice crack with his flooding overwhelming emotions.

"Lord Voldemort is my past, present, and future Harry." Tom's voice attempted to soothe, yet there was a cold underlying tone.

Harry shook his head, "But we..."

Tom, no ****Voldemort**** , looked at him, eyes softening and mouth curling in a small smile, "All that was between us was no lie. I meant all that I said to you. Our friendship was true. " Tom looked down, his voice dropping to little more than a whisper, "Please believe me.."

To his dismay, Harry felt tears flooding his eyes, causing his vision to blur, "You tried to kill me when I was a baby, then again in my first year! Now you expect me to believe it was real?! Not just some trick? You expect me to be okay and believe you? When you're standing there killing Ginny! Using her to hurt others!"

Tom shot him a quick glare, "What do you expect? As of right now I am nothing more than a Ghost, a memory. To continue our friendship I need to be stronger. I need a body. I need to LIVE!"

Harry flinched, but stood his ground, "No, not like this Tom. I can't if you do this."

Tom paused, considering his words. Calmly he replied, "If I spare her, will all be forgiven? Will you allow me to prove myself to you...?"

Harry felt a flicker of hope and immediately nodded, all caution thrown.

Tom sighed then responded resigned, "Very well, but you must help me find another way to regain myself, I don't wish to leave you."

Harry truly doubted he'd be able to help Tom gain a body, or join the other part that flew out of Quirrel last year, but he agreed;eager to appease his friend, desperate in his desire, to keep his Tom.

Tom stepped over Ginny's body and stood before him, still a few steps away, "Before I give her back the life force I have..borrowed-"

"Stolen" Harry cut in quickly, still rather annoyed.

Rolling his eyes, lips twitching in amusement, Tom continued as if he had not been interrupted, "borrowed, there is something I have been meaning to tell you for a while now, however, I fear it would be best to show you, as you have placed me in this position where I will not likely have the opportunity to do so in the near future."

Tom closed the remaining distance between them. He then raised his hand and lightly held Harry's cheek. Harry turned his head into the soft hand, marveling at the fact he was able to feel his friend, touch him who had been nothing but comforting words on a page, written when alone and no one was around. Tom then embraced Harry and held him close murmuring. "How I have longed to do this all year. Aching to hold you, to shield you from the cruelty of your fellows."

Harry returned the gesture, holding onto Tom almost painfully tight, aware that this may be the first and only time he would be able to hold his friend. "It was enough knowing you cared..." Harry replied softly.

Tom, pulled away and walked towards the statue of his ancestor. Without turning around he spoke, "We must create a credible story. No doubt, someone will suspect my presence here. Now what to do..." quickly he spun around and smirked at Harry while he waved a hand, and to Harry's surprise, next to them laid the body of a slayed Basilisk as well as a damaged replica of the Diary. "Of course we need a story befitting a hero such as yourself. You came here only to confront a young but very dashing man who claimed he was Voldemort, who then summoned the great beast of Salazar himself. You managed to defeat the beast with a bout of incredible wandless instinctual magic, then destroyed the diary with a fang, and managed to save the young fair maiden. You can give the replica to them as proof"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "You expect people to actually believe a twelve year old single handily defeated a basilisk and a young Voldemort as well?" Tom laughed and replied, "Well, you are the boy -who -lived, if anyone could do it, it would be you." His laughter faded as a somber look appeared on his face, "I am afraid that means this is goodbye for now, we will only be able to communicate as before, via the journal." Tom walked back over to Harry and placed his hands on Harry's shoulders pulling him towards him slightly. "One last thing.." he whispered, before leaning in and gently brushing his mouth against Harry's. Shocked and eyes wide, Harry was stunned yet surprisingly felt warm and pleased. A part of Harry wanted to recoil in confusion, however a much larger part of Harry, felt his heart race and head spin as those soft lips returned once more, placing a slight more amount of pressure before pulling away all together. Harry brought a hand up to gently touch his lips as he looked down embarrassed. Feeling his face heat up quite a bit, he was at a loss for words. He looked up and felt his heart skip a beat at the tender expression upon Tom's face. He realized that the supposed betrayal had hurt him so, because not only did he care for his friend, he loved him as something more. Not truly understanding his own emotions he simply gazed at Tom attempting to wordlessly convey his feelings. Tom seemed to understand as he smiled and simply said, "I know", before disappearing, flowing back down into the journal. He picked it up, and hid it in his robes. He then moved to Ginny as she awoke with a jolt and immediately began to ramble, explaining her innocence and how she had been possessed. "Riddle made me Harry!"

Harry smiled and assured her, she needed not explain herself to him. Together they made their way out of the tunnels until they reunited with Ron and the still obliviated professor. As he looked up, wondering how they were going to get out, he heard a voice whisper, "Just say up in Parsyltongue." Harry did so and to his surprise a staircase appeared, which they followed back to the world above. As they climbed out and left the bathroom, they walked through the corridor only to be bombarded by the other professors who proceeded to lead them up to McGonnagall and Dumbledore.

As they entered, Mr. and Mrs Weasley raced towards Ginny and proceeded to smother her with hugs. "We were so worried!" Harry then began to explain all that had 'happened'. He was pleased that they all accepted the story Tom had come up with. After he finished Dumbledore spoke, "And how was it that Voldemort managed to posses young Miss Weasley here, when I have heard he is traveling somewhere in Albania?" Harry replied, "With a diary, he appeared as Tom Riddle." Ginny confessed to having been writing in the Diary for a large part of the year, explaining how Riddle had made her command the beast, write messages on the walls, kill the chickens and such. "Ginny, what have I told you? Don't go trusting something that can think for itself, if you can't see where it keeps it's brain?!" Mr. Weasley shouted.

"Where is this Diary Harry?" Dumbledore asked. Harry looked down attempting to look upset and weary as he changed the plan a bit, not wanting them to have even the replica, "I left it in the chamber"

"Well then come with me and we shall retrieve it." Just as he was about to make his excuses, Professor McGonnagall protested for him, "Surely this is not necessary Albus? To send him back after all that has happened! I'm sure that there is no danger in leaving it there." A flash of annoyance graced Dumbledore's face before he sighed and replied, "Very well, then all that is left is to award you both Awards of Special Services to the School as well as 200 points each for your bravery. I also believe a feast is called for" Ron was burning red as he spoke, "But we broke so many rules! You said if we did we would be expelled." Dumbledore smiled at them both, "That just goes to show that even the best of us often eat our words." He dismissed Ron but asked young Harry to stay.

"Did Tom say anything to you my boy?" Harry hesitated before speaking, "He said we were alike..but I'm a Griffindor although.. the hat did wish to place me in Slytherin." Dumbledore shook his head, "You may posses certain qualities of Slytherin such as; ambition and pride, yet I have always believed that it is our actions that make us who we are. The two of you have similarities, yet you are very different." Harry pondered this as he tried to keep his features from revealing his thoughts. No, we're more alike then you think. We've both been through so much, faced similar horrors. No one could ever understand us, the way we understand each other. The hat said Slytherin would help me on my way to greatness. Now I realize that it was not just the house, but the heir himself. I, no we, will be great. Just wait Dumbledore

Before Harry could respond, the door opened with a bang, as none other than Lucius Malfoy himself entered with Dobby. Lucius questioned Dumbledore's reappearance, threatened them both vaguely, as well as denied having any part in the events of the year. Just as he was about to leave Harry spoke.

"Don't you want to know how Ginny got hold of that diary, Mr. Malfoy?" said Harry.

Lucius Malfoy looked at him "How should I know how the stupid little girl got hold of it?" he said.

"Because you gave it to her," said Harry. "In Flourish and Blotts. You picked up her old Transfiguration book and slipped the diary inside it, didn't you?"

He saw Mr. Malfoy's white hands clench together.

"Prove it," he hissed.

"Oh, no one will be able to do that," said Dumbledore, smiling at Harry. "Not now that Riddle has vanished from the book. On the other hand, I would advise you, Lucius, not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, I think Arthur Weasley, for one, will make sure they are traced back to you. …"

Lucius Malfoy stood for a moment, and Harry distinctly saw his right hand twitch as though he was longing to reach for his wand. Instead, he turned to his house-elf. "We're going, Dobby!" He wrenched open the door and as the elf came hurrying up to him, he kicked him right through it. Harry stood for a moment, thinking as he realized what he could do with the replica. "Professor Dumbledore," he said hurriedly. "May I be excused? I want to go rest for a while."

"Certainly, Harry, but don't forget about the feast." Harry raced out of the office. He could sill hear Dobby's squeals of pain. Harry took off one of his shoes, pulled off his rather grotesque sock, and stuffed the diary into it. He caught up with them at the top of the stairs.

"Mr. Malfoy," he gasped, skidding to a halt, "I've got something for you —"

And he forced the smelly sock into Lucius Malfoy's hand.

"What the — ?" Mr. Malfoy ripped the sock off the diary, threw it aside, then looked furiously from the ruined book to Harry.

"You'll meet the same sticky end as your parents one of these days, Harry Potter," he said softly. "They were meddlesome fools, too." Harry merely laughed and gave him a smirk worthy of Tom Riddle himself. "Oh we'll just see about that won't we? If anyone should worry about their end it's you"

Dumbstruck, he merely gaped at Harry's audacity before turning and calling for Dobby to follow. But Dobby was frozen, holding Harry's disgusting sock,"Master has given a sock," said the elf in wonderment."What's that?" spat Mr. Malfoy. Dobby in disbelief said. "Master threw it, and Dobby caught it, — Dobby is free."Lucius Malfoy lunged at Harry. "You've lost me my servant, boy!" But Dobby shouted, "You shall not harm Harry Potter!" There was a loud bang, and Mr. Malfoy was thrown backward. He got up, his face livid, and pulled out his wand, but Dobby raised a long, threatening finger. "You shall not touch Harry Potter. You shall go now." Lucius Malfoy had no choice. He left with a swing of his cloak around him, in a way that would have made Snape proud and hurried out of sight. "Harry Potter freed Dobby!" said the elf shrilly

"Least I could do, Dobby," said Harry, grinning. "Well, I'd better go. There's a feast, and my friend Hermione should be awake by now. …" Dobby threw his arms around Harry's middle and hugged him. "Harry Potter is greater by far than Dobby knew!" he sobbed. "Farewell, Harry Potter!" And with a final loud crack, Dobby disappeared.

Harry had been to several Hogwarts feasts, always amazed at the food and happy by the feeling of being with so many friends. However at this one he merely bored and rather irritated. Not to mention appalled by how everyone suddenly wished to be his friend once again now that he was once again their hero and savior. The rest of the final term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine. Harry proceeded to act the hero in public, but in the quiet of his bed continued to write to his beloved Tom.

 ** **Can you believe these people Tom. We were actually rewarded for breaking rules, Dumbledore wanted us to play hero..not to mention the hypocrisy of all my so called friends and fellow students. I mean almost all year they've been whispering terrible things about me, when they believed me to be..well you, the Heir of Slytherin and now, now that I've 'saved' their buts, they all 'love' me again? I mean what is this? I know I have to play nice, but how can they actually believe I'm willing to just forgive and forget all that they've put me through this year..? Even my supposed best friends were wary, I mean they tried to help, but I could tell they were..scared, not just of what was happening, but of me! They didn't care enough to have faith in me. Only you care about me unconditionally Tom...thank you...****

Harry smiled, happy to have someone who loved him as much as Tom did.

 ** **People will always fear that which they cannot understand Harry. They will also always fear those above them. You surpass them in power and greatness. Dumbledore must want you to be his champion of sorts. To put you in danger this way... unforgivable my dear. Their "love" and "friendship", comes at a price. To do as is expected, be the good and gentle hero willing to lay their life down. Fools. All of them. They are worthless in comparison to you. I will always care, I will always be there for you my darling no matter what. I am the one who loves you most Harry. My green eyed Angel.****

Harry blushed at Tom's words.

 ** **I didn't realize how poetic you are Tom.. and I love you too.****

Harry stared in shock at the words which then appeared in response

 ** **Who do you think came up with that song on Valentines? Ginny's ideas were just awful, so instead I gave her a decent idea. Did you like my valentine Harry?****

Harry laughed in amusement, the idea of Voldemort himself writing him a love poem was just too funny. The embarrassment he had felt in the moment it was delivered had all but evaporated at learning that it had truly been from his Tom.

 ** **I loved it.** ****" **His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,****

 ** **His hair is as dark as a blackboard.****

 ** **I wish he was mine, he's really divine,****

 ** **The hero who conquered the Dark Lord."****

 **… **..I already am you know...****

 ** **Already are what my dear?****

 ** **Yours...****

 ** **Well Harry, I am yours as well****

Harry bid his beloved goodbye as he sighed and happily held the diary above his racing heart. Too soon, it was time to go home. He knew he would not be able to speak to his beloved as easily at the Dursely's. However he felt dealing with them would be more bearable, having someone to comfort and love him. He got on the Hogwarts express and passed the time playing exploding snap with his friends. Finally, the Hogwarts Express slowed and he had somewhat been indifferent to his friends he realized he needed to reach out in order to keep up appearances. Harry pulled out his quill and a bit of parchment and turned to Ron and Hermione. "This is called a telephone number," he told Ron, scribbling it twice, tearing the parchment in two, and handing it to them. "I told your dad how to use a telephone last summer — he'll know. Call me at the Dursleys', okay? I can't stand another two months with only Dudley to talk to. …"

"Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd toward the enchanted barrier. "When they hear what you did this year?

"Proud?" said Harry. "Are you crazy? All those times I could've died, and I didn't manage it? They'll be furious. … ". He waved goodbye then turned, walking towards his awaiting uncle. The ride back to privet drive was silent. When they arrived that night, he handed over his school things, not worried as he had already hidden the diary on his person. He was sent upstairs without supper. He locked his room for privacy, no longer fearing the quiet solitude. Harry didn't mind as he was eager to once again speak to Tom.

 ** **Home sweet home. Not. Locked in again, without my stuff.****

 ** **It's barbaric the way they treat you. If I was there I would put those muggles in their place and take you far away. Darling, how will you get your work done without your supplies?****

 ** **Don't worry, I'll sneak down when their asleep. Would you really hurt them Tom..? And where would we go?****

 ** **Be careful not to get caught. I would merely teach them a lesson. I wouldn't hurt them if you so desire, but I truly despise them for all they have done to you. We would go wherever you desired.****

 ** **I'd be okay going anywhere as long as you were with me...Goodnight Tom, I love you.****

 ** **As I love you. Rest my darling, until tomorrow.****

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this work. In order to keep canon aspects certain phrases from the Chamber of Secrets were courses for the next chapter. Either a flashback of sorts into Tom and Harry conversing throughout the year. In other words the events prior to this chapter, when he first began writing to Tom. Or move on to the summer and the 3rd year. Or both. What would you all prefer? Let me know


	2. 2

Hope you enjoy this work. In order to keep canon aspects certain phrases from the Prisoner of Azkaban were used.

* * *

It was nearly midnight, Harry was lying stomach down, with the blankets covering him, a flashlight illuminating the cozy fort he had constructed. In one hand he had Tom's diary, and propped open on the pillow next to him was the large leather-bound book __(A History of Magic__ by Bathilda Bagshot). Harry picked up the Journal and wrote:

 _ _ **Tom, wanna help me with my homework?**__

He eagerly awaited his friend's response, certain he would be more than willing to lend a hand.

 _ _ **Harry, you and I both know if I help you I'll only end up giving you all the answers. You are intelligent and more than capable of doing this on your own. If you truly get stuck, then I will help hint you in the correct direction.**__

Harry pouted.

 _ _Aww. Wait, when did I become so dependent on others for homework...When I was going to school with Dudley I was at the top of the class...I guess since going to Hogwarts I haven't really been focusing...Hermionie usually did most of Ron and mine's work. I mean, I was dealing with the whole stone thing then the chamber but still.. How could I let myself get this..lazy?!__

Promising himself he would once again make a larger effort to study and excel in his school work, Harry looked though the text, determined to find the information required to answer the prompt, "Witch Burning in the Fourteenth Century Was Completely Pointless — discuss."

Harry moved the flashlight closer to the text which read;

 _ _Non-magic people (more commonly known as Muggles) were particularly afraid of magic in medieval times, but not very good at recognizing it. On the rare occasion that they did catch a real witch or wizard, burning had no effect whatsoever. The witch or wizard would perform a basic Flame Freezing Charm and then pretend to shriek with pain while enjoying a gentle, tickling sensation. Indeed, Wendelin the Weird enjoyed being burned so much that she allowed herself to be caught no less than forty-seven times in various disguises.__

Harry worked quickly and quietly, knowing his time could very well be limited. If he was caught working on anything even remotely related to Hogwarts or Magic, the Dursleys would punish him.

At the beginning of the summer, they locked away Harry's spell books, wand, cauldron, and broomstick. Harry had been given a lot of summer work and he needed at least his spell books in order to complete it all. In the first week of the holidays, while Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley had gone out into the front garden to admire Uncle Vernon's new company car (in very loud voices, so that the rest of the street would notice it too), Harry had crept downstairs, picked the lock on the cupboard under the stairs, grabbed some of his books, and hidden them in his bedroom. Tom had been particularly pleased by his cunning. Of course he was also worried about Harry being caught yet he was also extremely concerned about Harry's education. Harry reassured Tom he would be fine as long as he was quiet and avoided trouble. He had had a close call when Ron had called earlier in the summer and being ignorant of muggle technology, had proceeded to create a shouting match between himself and Uncle Vernon. Afterwards Ron must have realized that he'd gotten Harry into trouble, because he hadn't called again. Harry's other friend from Hogwarts, Hermionie Granger, hadn't been in touch either. Harry suspected that Ron had warned Hermionie not to call. So Harry had had no word from any of his wizarding friends for five long weeks, yet this did not bother Harry too much as he wrote to Tom every time he had the opportunity. They conversed of school, Hogwarts, the Dursleys and anything else really

Harry stopped writing to yawn and rub at his eyes. __It must be very late,__ Harry thought. He felt very tired, yet pleased at the fruit of his efforts. He'd rewrite it in the diary tomorrow so Tom could look it over. Harry got up and hid everything under a loose floorboard under his bed. Then he stood up, stretched, and checked the time on the clock on his bedside table.

It was one o'clock in the morning. Harry's stomach gave a funny jolt. He had been thirteen years old, without realizing it, for a whole hour. He looked at himself in the mirror as if expecting something different. He was still rather small and skinny for his age. The eyes behind his glasses were bright green, and on his forehead, clearly visible through his hair, was a thin scar, shaped like a bolt of lightning. Of all the unusual things about Harry, this scar was the most extraordinary of all. The remnant of the wizard who murdered his parents, one of the most feared Dark wizard, Lord Voldemort. Harry had escaped from the same attack with nothing more than a scar on his forehead, where Voldemort's curse, instead of killing him, had rebounded upon its originator. Barely alive, Voldemort had fled. …

But Harry had come face-to-face with him at Hogwarts, twice. The last time they had met, had been through the diary. After finding it in the bathroom in the middle of the year, Harry had conversed with the person inside the diary named Tom. Tom had been his only true company that year as everyone was weary of him, believing him to be evil and the heir of Slytherin once his parsyltounge ability had come to light. Tom had been caring and compassionate. After conversing for a while they realized they had much in common. Of course, Harry had no idea the person he had come to care for was indeed the same person who would grow up to kill his parents and also attempt to kill him. After the reveal, Harry and felt terrified and betrayed, yet he gave Tom another chance, keeping the diary as he had come to see Tom and Lord Voldemort as separate beings despite being the same person. He felt deep inside that Tom would not hurt him again.

Smiling, Harry reached for the diary in order to bid Tom goodnight when he saw the message Tom had written him.

 _ **I'm wishing you another year**_  
 _ **Of laughter, joy and fun,**_  
 _ **Surprises, love and happiness,**_  
 _ **And when your birthday's done,**_  
 _ **I hope you feel deep in your heart,**_  
 _ **As your birthdays come and go,**_  
 _ **How very much you mean to me,**_  
 _ **More than you can know.**_

 _ _ **Happy 13**__ _ _ **th**__ _ _ **birthday Harry, rest now and sleep.**__

Harry felt tears flooding his eyes as he read those beautiful words. He hadn't expected Tom to remember his birthday, as it had been something mentioned in passing the previous year. He hugged the diary to his heart,

 _ _This has to be the best birthday I've ever had. I don't need another present.__

Just as he thought this, on the ground appeared shadows, growing larger every second. Through the window soared three owls. Harry removed the packages and began with the one from the Weasleys.

He opened the envelope and two pieces of paper fell out — a letter and a newspaper picked up the clipping and read:

MINISTRY OF MAGIC EMPLOYEE

SCOOPS GRAND PRIZE

Arthur Weasley, Head of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, has won the annual __Daily Prophet__ Grand Prize Galleon Draw.

A delighted Mr. Weasley told the __Daily Prophet,__ "We will be spending the gold on a summer holiday in Egypt, where our eldest son, Bill, works as a curse breaker for Gringotts Wizarding Bank."

The Weasley family will be spending a month in Egypt, returning for the start of the new school year at Hogwarts, which five of the Weasley children currently attend.

He saw all nine of the Weasleys waving, standing in front of a large pyramid. Plump little Mrs. Weasley; tall, balding Mr. Weasley; six sons; and one daughter, all (though the black-and-white picture didn't show it) with flaming-red hair. Right in the middle of the picture was Ron, tall and gangling, with his pet rat, Scabbers, on his shoulder and his arm around his little sister, Ginny.

He move on, picking up Ron's letter and read;

 _ _ **Dear Harry,**__

 _ _ **Happy birthday!**__

 _ _ **Look, I'm really sorry about that telephone call. I hope the Muggles didn't give you a hard time. I asked Dad, and he reckons I shouldn't have shouted.**__

 _ _ **It's amazing here in Egypt. Bill's taken us around all the tombs and you wouldn't believe the curses those old Egyptian wizards put on them. Mum wouldn't let Ginny come in the last one. There were all these mutant skeletons in there, of Muggles who'd broken in and grown extra heads and stuff.**__

 _ _ **I couldn't believe it when Dad won the**__ **Daily Prophet** _ _ **Draw. Seven hundred galleons! Most of it's gone on this trip, but they're going to buy me a new wand for next year.**__

Harry remembered only too well the occasion when Ron's old wand had snapped. It had happened when the car the two of them had been flying to Hogwarts had crashed into a tree on the school grounds.

 _ _ **We'll be back about a week before term starts and we'll be going up to London to get my wand and our new books. Any chance of meeting you there?**__

 _ _ **Don't let the Muggles get you down!**__

 _ _ **Try and come to London,**__

 _ _ **Ron**__

 _ _ **PS. Percy's Head Boy. He got the letter last week.**__

Harry was rather stunned that he had received anything for his birthday from Ron, after the way he had often avoided him last year. He rolled his eyes __Now that I'm no longer under consideration as the bad guy he wants to just be friends like nothing?! Does he actually expect I want to spend even more time with him?__ Harry snorted as he picked up his present and unwrapped it. Inside was what looked like a miniature glass spinning top. There was another note from Ron beneath it.

 _ _ **Harry**__ **—** _ _ **this is a Pocket Sneakoscope. If there's someone untrustworthy around, it's supposed to light up and spin. Bill says it's rubbish sold for wizard tourists and isn't reliable, because it kept lighting up at dinner last night. But he didn't realize Fred and George had put beetles in his soup.**__

 _ _ **Bye**__ **—**

 _ _ **Ron**__

Harry put the Pocket Sneakoscope on his bedside table, where it moved slightly. Harry started, wondering if it was reacting to the Dursleys. He shrugged and then picked up the parcel Hedwig had brought.

Inside this, too, there was a wrapped present, a card, and a letter. The items were from Hermionie.

 _ _ **Dear Harry,**__

 _ _ **Ron wrote to me and told me about his phone call to your Uncle Vernon. I do hope you're all right.**__

 _ _ **I'm on holiday in France at the moment and I didn't know how I was going to send this to you**__ **—** _ _ **what if they'd opened it at customs?**__ **—** _ _ **but then Hedwig turned up! I think she wanted to make sure you got something for your birthday for a change. I bought your present by owl-order; there was an advertisement in the**__ **Daily Prophet** _ _ **(I've been getting it delivered; it's so good to keep up with what's going on in the wizarding world). Did you see that picture of Ron and his family a week ago? I bet he'd learning loads, if he bothered to care and study. I'm really jealous**__ **—** _ _ **the ancient Egyptian wizards were fascinating.**__

 _ _ **There's some interesting local history of witchcraft here, too. I've rewritten my whole History of Magic essay to include some of the things I've found out. I hope it's not too long**__ **—** _ _ **it's two rolls of parchment more than Professor Binns asked for.**__

 _ _ **Ron says he's going to be in London in the last week of the holidays. Can you make it? Will your aunt and uncle let you come? I really hope you can. If not, I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express on September first! Harry, I know Ron and I weren't really there for you last year and I wanted to apologize for that. Know that no matter what I will always be your friend.**__

 _ _ **Love from**__

 _ _ **Hermionie**__

Harry was surprised at her apology. He had been upset with her as well, although most of his anger at her had dissipated when he thought about how she had been petrified. True, she had avoided him a bit as well like Ron, but it hadn't really been out of fear. If anything it just seemed she didn't know what to say around him. Despite this, she had still done her best to help solve the mystery around the chamber. Nodding to himself, he decided to make and effort in preserving their friendship. Besides, it would be nice to have someone to keep him on track with his resolution to put forth more effort in his studies. He put Hermionie's letter aside and picked up her present. His heart gave a huge bound as he ripped back the paper and saw a sleek black leather case, with silver words stamped across it, reading __Broomstick Servicing Kit.__

"Wow, Hermionie!" Harry whispered, unzipping the case to look inside.

There was a large jar of Fleetwood's High-Finish Handle Polish, a pair of gleaming silver Tail-Twig Clippers, a tiny brass compass to clip on your broom for long journeys, and a __Handbook of__ __Do-It-Yourself__ __Broomcare.__

Harry put the leather case aside and picked up his last parcel. He recognized the untidy scrawl on the brown paper at once: this was from Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper. He tore off the top layer of paper and glimpsed something green and leathery, but before he could unwrap it properly, the parcel gave a strange quiver, and whatever was inside it snapped loudly — as though it had jaws.

Harry froze. He knew that Hagrid would never send him anything dangerous on purpose, but then, Hagrid didn't have a normal person's view of what was dangerous. Hagrid had been known to befriend giant spiders, buy vicious, three-headed dogs from men in pubs, and sneak illegal dragon eggs into his cabin.

Harry poked the parcel curiously. It snapped loudly again. He slowly moved the wrapping paper with one hand, with the other he pulled quickly. To the ground fell a book. Harry just had time to read the golden title __The Monster Book of Monsters,__ before it flipped onto its edge and scuttled sideways along the bed like some weird crab.

"Weird...," Harry muttered.

The book toppled off the bed with a loud clunk and shuffled rapidly across the room. Harry followed it stealthily. The book was hiding in the dark space under his desk. Praying that the Dursleys were still fast asleep, Harry got down on his hands and knees and reached toward it.

"Ouch!"

The book snapped shut on his hand and then flapped past him, still scuttling on its covers. Harry scrambled around, threw himself forward, and managed to flatten it. Uncle Vernon gave a loud, sleepy grunt in the room next door.

Hedwig and Errol watched interested as Harry clamped the struggling book tightly in his arms, hurried to his chest of drawers, and pulled out a belt, which he buckled tightly around it. The __Monster Book__ shuddered angrily, but could no longer flap and snap, so Harry threw it down on the bed and reached for Hagrid's card.

 _ _ **Dear**__ _ _ **Harry,**__

 _ _ **Happy birthday!**__

 _ _ **Think you might find this**__ _ _ **useful for next year.**__

 _ _ **Won't say no more here. Tell you when I see you.**__

 _ _ **Hope the Muggles are treating you right.**__

 _ _ **All the best,**__

 _ _ **Hagrid**__

It struck Harry as ominous that Hagrid thought a biting book would come in useful, but he put Hagrid's card up next to Ron's and Hermionie's. Now there was only the letter from Hogwarts left.

Noticing that it was rather thicker than usual, Harry opened the envelope, pulled out the first page of parchment within, and read:

 _ _ **Dear Mr. Potter,**__

 _ _ **Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock.**__

 _ _ **Third years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parent or guardian to sign.**__

 _ _ **A list of books for next year is enclosed.**__

 _ _ **Yours sincerely,**__

 _ _ **Professor M. McGonagall**__

 _ _ **Deputy Headmistress**__

Harry pulled out the Hogsmeade permission form and simply stared. It would be wonderful to visit Hogsmeade on weekends, however there was a slim to none chance Uncle Vernon or Aunt Petunia would sign the form.

He looked over at the alarm clock. It was now two o'clock in the morning.

Deciding that he'd worry about the Hogsmeade form when he woke up, Harry got back into bed and reached over to the diary. Smiling he wrote.

 _ _ **Wow, out of everything I've ever gotten for my birthday, which is only this poem and things from Ron, Hermionie and Hagrid, yours was definitely the best. Goodnight Tom.**__

The next morning, Harry went downstairs for breakfast, only to find the Dursleys intently watching their brand new television. As Harry stealthily grabbed a piece of toast he also turned his attention to the man currently speaking as he nibbled on the toast. The report seemed to be about some escaped convict. "-..The public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous. A special hot line has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately."

"No need to tell us __he's__ no good," snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!"

He shot a nasty look sideways at Harry, glaring at his hair as if it had caused him great offence. Compared to the man on the television, however, whose gaunt face was surrounded by a matted, elbow-length tangle, Harry felt he didn't look too bad. The reporter than reappeared and moved on to the next topic,"The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will announce today —"

"Hang on!" barked Uncle Vernon, staring furiously at the reporter. "You didn't tell us where that maniac's escaped from! What use is that? Lunatic could be coming up the street right now!"

"When will they __learn,__ " said Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his large purple fist, "that hanging's the only way to deal with these people?"

"Very true," said Aunt Petunia.

Uncle Vernon drained his teacup, glanced at his watch, and added, "I'd better be off in a minute, Petunia. Marge's train gets in at ten."

Harry, whose thoughts had been upstairs with informing Tom of the news, was brought back to earth with an unpleasant bump.

"Aunt Marge?" he blurted out. "Sh — __she's__ not coming here, is she?"

Aunt Marge was Uncle Vernon's sister. She didn't often stay at Privet Drive, because she couldn't bear to leave her precious dogs, but each of her visits stood out horribly vividly in Harry's mind.

At Dudley's fifth birthday party, Aunt Marge had whacked Harry around the shins with her walking stick to stop him from beating Dudley at musical statues. A few years later, she had turned up at Christmas with a computerized robot for Dudley and a box of dog biscuits for Harry. On her last visit, the year before Harry started at Hogwarts, Harry had accidentally trodden on the tail of her favorite dog. Ripper had chased Harry out into the garden and up a tree, and Aunt Marge had refused to call him off until past midnight.

"Marge'll be here for a week," Uncle Vernon snarled, "and while we're on the subject" — he pointed a fat finger threateningly at Harry — "we need to get a few things straight before I go get her"

"Firstly," growled Uncle Vernon, "you'll keep a civil tongue in your head when you're talking to Marge."

"Fine," said Harry bitterly, "Only if she does the same."

"Secondly," said Uncle Vernon, acting as though he had not heard Harry's reply, "as Marge doesn't know anything about your __abnormality,__ I don't want any — any __funny__ stuff while she's here. You behave yourself, got me?"

"I will if she does," said Harry through gritted teeth.

"And thirdly," said Uncle Vernon, his mean little eyes now slits in his great purple face, "we've told Marge you attend St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys."

" _ _What__?" Harry yelled.

"And you'll be sticking to that story, boy, or there'll be trouble," spat Uncle Vernon.

Harry sat there, white-faced and furious, staring at Uncle Vernon, hardly able to believe it. Aunt Marge coming for a week-long visit — it was the worst birthday present the Dursleys had ever given him, including that pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks.

"Well, Petunia," said Uncle Vernon, getting heavily to his feet, "I'll be off to the station, then. Want to come along for the ride, Dudders?"

"No," said Dudley, whose attention had returned to the television now that Uncle Vernon had finished threatening Harry.

"Duddy's got to make himself smart for his auntie," said Aunt Petunia, smoothing Dudley's thick blond hair. "Mummy's bought him a lovely new bow tie."

Uncle Vernon clapped Dudley on his porky shoulder.

"See you in a bit, then," he said, and he left the kitchen.

Harry, who had been sitting in a kind of horrified trance, had a sudden idea. Abandoning his toast, he got quickly to his feet and followed Uncle Vernon to the front door.

Uncle Vernon was pulling on his car coat.

"I'm not taking __you,__ " he snarled as he turned to see Harry.

"Like I wanted to come," said Harry coldly. "I want to ask you something."

Uncle Vernon eyed him suspiciously.

"Third years at Hog — at my school are allowed to visit the village sometimes," said Harry.

"So?" snapped Uncle Vernon as he grabbed his car keys.

"I need you to sign my permission form," said Harry in a rush.

"And why should I do that?" sneered Uncle Vernon.

Harry smirked internally. "Well," said Harry, choosing his words carefully, "it'll be hard work, pretending to Aunt Marge I go to that St. Whatsits —"

"St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys!" bellowed Uncle Vernon, and Harry was pleased to hear a definite note of panic in Uncle Vernon's voice.

"Exactly," said Harry, looking calmly up into Uncle Vernon's large, purple face. "It's a lot to remember. I'll have to make it sound convincing, won't I? What if I accidentally let something slip?"

" _ _You'll get the stuffing knocked out of you, won't you__?" roared Uncle Vernon, advancing on Harry with his fist raised. But Harry stood his ground.

"Knocking the stuffing out of me won't make Aunt Marge forget what I could tell her," he said grimly.

Uncle Vernon stopped, his fist still raised, his face an ugly puce.

"But if you sign my permission form," Harry went on quickly, "I swear I'll remember where I'm supposed to go to school, and I'll act like a Mug — like I'm normal and everything."

Harry could tell that Uncle Vernon was thinking it over, even if his teeth were bared and a vein was throbbing in his temple.

"Right," he snapped finally. "I shall monitor your behavior carefully during Marge's visit. If, at the end of it, you've toed the line and kept to the story, I'll sign your ruddy form."

He wheeled around, pulled open the front door, and slammed it so hard that one of the little panes of glass at the top fell out.

Harry didn't return to the kitchen. He went back upstairs to his bedroom. If he was going to act like a real Muggle, he'd better start now. Slowly and sadly he gathered up all his presents and his birthday cards and hid them under the loose floorboard with his homework. Then he went to Hedwig's cage. Errol seemed to have recovered; he and Hedwig were both asleep, heads under their wings. Harry sighed, then poked them both awake.

"Hedwig," he said gloomily, "you're going to have to clear off for a week. Go with Errol. Ron'll look after you. I'll write him a note, explaining. Just as harry moved to grab the diary in order to greet Tom,

Aunt Petunia was shrieking up the stairs for Harry to come down and get ready to welcome their guest.

"Do something about your hair!" Aunt Petunia snapped as he reached the hall.

Harry couldn't see the point of trying to make his hair lie flat. Aunt Marge loved criticizing him, so the untidier he looked, the happier she would be.

A feeling of great gloom in his stomach, Harry pulled the door open.

On the threshold stood Aunt Marge.

"Where's my Dudders?" roared Aunt Marge. "Where's my neffy-poo?"

Dudley came waddling down the hall, his blond hair plastered flat to his fat head, a bow tie just visible under his many chins. Aunt Marge thrust the suitcase into Harry's stomach, knocking the wind out of him, seized Dudley in a tight one-armed hug, and planted a large kiss on his cheek.

Harry knew perfectly well that Dudley only put up with Aunt Marge's hugs because he was well paid for it, and sure enough, when they broke apart, Dudley had a crisp twenty-pound note clutched in his fat fist.

"Petunia!" shouted Aunt Marge, striding past Harry as though he was a hat stand. Aunt Marge and Aunt Petunia kissed, or rather, Aunt Marge bumped her large jaw against Aunt Petunia's bony cheekbone.

Uncle Vernon now came in, smiling jovially as he shut the door.

"Tea, Marge?" he said. "And what will Ripper take?"

"Ripper can have some tea out of my saucer," said Aunt Marge as they all proceeded into the kitchen, leaving Harry alone in the hall with the suitcase. But Harry wasn't complaining; any excuse not to be with Aunt Marge was fine by him, so he began to heave the case upstairs into the spare bedroom, taking as long as he could.

 _ _Just stay calm Harry. Don't bring attention and you'll get through this. You'll be back upstairs telling Tom all that happened and the good news about Hogsmeade.__

By the time he got back to the kitchen, Aunt Marge had been supplied with tea and fruitcake, and Ripper was lapping noisily in the corner. Ripper began to growl again as Harry sat down. This directed Aunt Marge's attention to Harry for the first time.

"So!" she barked. "Still here, are you?"

"Yes," said Harry.

"Don't you say 'yes' in that ungrateful tone," Aunt Marge growled. "It's damn good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you. Wouldn't have done it myself. You'd have gone straight to an orphanage if you'd been dumped on __my__ doorstep."

Harry felt his heart lurch at the word orphanage, remembering the stories Tom had told of his time there. He kept a cold, blank look on his face, deciding for the sake of his permission slip it would be best to stay quiet.

"Don't you smirk at me!" boomed Aunt Marge. "I can see you haven't improved since I last saw you. I hoped school would knock some manners into you. Where is it that you send him, again, Vernon?"

"St. Brutus's," said Uncle Vernon promptly. "It's a first-rate institution for hopeless cases."

"I see," said Aunt Marge. "Do they use the cane at St. Brutus's, boy?" she barked across the table.

"Er —"

Uncle Vernon nodded curtly behind Aunt Marge's back.

"Yes," said Harry. Then, feeling he might as well do the thing properly, he added, "all the time."

"Excellent," said Aunt Marge. "I won't have this namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense about not hitting people who deserve it. A good thrashing is what's needed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. Have __you__ been beaten often?"

"Oh, yeah," said Harry, "loads of times."

Aunt Marge narrowed her eyes.

"I still don't like your tone, boy," she said. "If you can speak of your beatings in that casual way, they clearly aren't hitting you hard enough. Petunia, I'd write if I were you. Make it clear that you approve the use of extreme force in this boy's case."

Perhaps Uncle Vernon was worried that Harry might forget their bargain; in any case, he changed the subject abruptly.

"Heard the news this morning, Marge? What about that escaped prisoner, eh?"

Harry worked on tuning everything out, simply thinking of how soon he'd be back at Hogwarts with Tom and Hermionie, the Weasleys, and visiting Hogsmeade. All he had to do was stay silent and ignored...

"You mustn't blame yourself for the way the boy's turned out, Vernon," she said over lunch on the third day. "If there's something rotten on the _ _inside,__ there's nothing anyone can do about it."

Harry tried to concentrate on his food, but his hands shook and his face was starting to burn with anger. __Remember the form__ , he told himself. _ _Think about Hogsmeade. Don't say anything. Don't rise__ —

Aunt Marge reached for her glass of wine.

"It's one of the basic rules of breeding," she said. "You see it all the time with dogs. If there's something wrong with the bitch, there'll be something wrong with the pup —"

At that moment, the wineglass Aunt Marge was holding exploded in her hand. Shards of glass flew in every direction and Aunt Marge sputtered and blinked, her great ruddy face dripping.

"Marge!" squealed Aunt Petunia. "Marge, are you all right?"

"Not to worry," grunted Aunt Marge, mopping her face with her napkin. "Must have squeezed it too hard. "

But Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon were both looking at Harry suspiciously, so he decided he'd better skip dessert and escape from the table as soon as he could.

Outside in the hall, he leaned against the wall, breathing deeply. It had been a long time since he'd lost control and made something explode. He couldn't afford to let it happen again. The Hogsmeade form wasn't the only thing at stake — if he carried on like that, he'd be in trouble with the Ministry of Magic.

Harry made his way upstairs, locking the door. He reached for the Diary, as well as his quill and some ink.

 _ _ **Tom, I have so much to tell you!**__

 _ _ **Hello Harry, what's happened?**__

 _ _ **I was watching the news this morning and it seems there's some kind of convict on the loose. His name Is Sirius Black or something.**__

 _ _ **A convict? Is he nearby?**__

 _ _ **They didn't say where he escaped from..**__

 _ _ **Really..Harry stay safe and be careful, I have a feeling this man is from our world.**__

 _ _ **Our world? You mean you think he's a wizard?!**__

 _ _ **Yes, when I was still at Hogwarts, when dangerous people from the wizarding world were on the loose, I would often see it in the muggle paper at the orphanage. The report would be vague about where they were from, simply a name, face, and describing them as dangerous.**__

 _ _ **Wow...I wonder what he did?**__

 _ _ **Don't go snooping around Harry, I don't want you to get hurt.**__

 _ _ **Relax Tom, I'll be good! Oh and I got a letter about a permission slip to Hogsmeade.**__

 _ _ **Hogsmeade? That little village near Hogwarts is quite a nice place to relax and explore..do you think the muggles will sign the form?**__

 _ _ **I made a deal with my uncle. My horrible Aunt is here for a few days, I told him I'd be on my best behavior, acting like a normal muggle, sticking to his story about being a student at some school for criminal boys or something.**__

 _ _ **A school for young criminals? Harry I didn't know you had been so naughty...**__

Harry blushed a bit and covered his mouth to stifle his laughter.

 _ _ **Anyways, he said if there's no "funny business" he'll sign it.**__

 _ _ **Well, just keep your head down, and don't talk back to her. I know how sassy you can be..**__

 _ _ **I am not! Anyways, I'm gonna get some sleep. Night Tom, Love you.**__

 _ _ **Goodnight Harry. I love you as well. You can do this, I have faith in you.**__

Harry smiled as he hid the diary and his writing tools. He laid down and dreamed of walking through a snowy little town side-by-side with Tom.

Harry got through the next three days by thinking of what Hogsmeade would be like, as well as what it would be like to explore with Tom. This worked quite well, though it seemed to give him a glazed look, because Aunt Marge started voicing the opinion that he was mentally subnormal.

Finally, it was Marge's last day. Aunt Petunia cooked a fancy dinner and Uncle Vernon uncorked several bottles of wine. They got all the way through the soup and the salmon without a single mention of Harry's faults. Marge burped richly and patted her great tweed stomach. "Pardon me. But I do like to see a healthy-sized boy," she went on, winking at Dudley. "You'll be a proper-sized man, Dudders, like your father. Yes, I'll have a spot more brandy, Vernon. …"

"Now, this one here —

She jerked her head at Harry, who felt his stomach clench. Hogsmeade _ _, Tom,__ he thought quickly.

"This one's got a mean, runty look about him. You get that with dogs. I had Colonel Fubster drown one last year. Ratty little thing it was. Weak. Under bred.""It all comes down to blood, as I was saying the other day. Bad blood will out. Now, I'm saying nothing against your family, Petunia" — she patted Aunt Petunia's bony hand with her shovel like one — "but your sister was a bad egg. They turn up in the best families. Then she ran off with a wastrel and here's the result right in front of us."Harry was staring at his plate, a funny ringing in his ears. Aunt Marge's voice seemed to be boring into him like one of Uncle Vernon's drills."This Potter," said Aunt Marge loudly, seizing the brandy bottle and splashing more into her glass and over the tablecloth, "you never told me what he did?"Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were looking extremely tense. Dudley had even looked up from his pie to gape at his parents."He — didn't work," said Uncle Vernon, with half a glance at Harry. "Unemployed." "As I expected!" said Aunt Marge, taking a huge swig of brandy and wiping her chin on her sleeve. "A no-account, good-for-nothing, lazy scrounger who —"

"He was not," Harry stated in a low cold voice suddenly. The table went very quiet. Harry was shaking all over. He had never felt so angry in his life."MORE BRANDY!" yelled Uncle Vernon, who had gone very white. He emptied the bottle into Aunt Marge's glass. "You, boy," he snarled at Harry. "Go to bed, go on —""No, Vernon," hiccuped Aunt Marge, holding up a hand, her tiny bloodshot eyes fixed on Harry's. "Go on, boy, go on. Proud of your parents, are you? They go and get themselves killed in a car crash (drunk, I expect) —"

"They didn't die in a car crash!" said Harry, who found himself on his feet.

"They died in a car crash, you nasty little liar, and left you to be a burden on their decent, hardworking relatives!" screamed Aunt Marge, swelling with fury. "You are an insolent, ungrateful little —"

But Aunt Marge suddenly stopped speaking. For a moment, it looked as though words had failed her. She seemed to be swelling with inexpressible anger — but the swelling didn't stop. Her great red face started to expand, her tiny eyes bulged, and her mouth stretched too tightly for speech — next second, several buttons had just burst from her tweed jacket and pinged off the walls — she was inflating like a monstrous balloon, her stomach bursting free of her tweed waistband, each of her fingers blowing up like a salami —

"MARGE!" yelled Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia together as Aunt Marge's whole body began to rise off her chair toward the ceiling. She was entirely round, now, like a vast life buoy with piggy eyes, and her hands and feet stuck out weirdly as she drifted up into the air, making apoplectic popping noises. Ripper came skidding into the room, barking madly.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Uncle Vernon seized one of Marge's feet and tried to pull her down again, but was almost lifted from the floor himself. A second later, Ripper leapt forward and sank his teeth into Uncle Vernon's leg.

Harry tore from the dining room before anyone could stop him, heading for the cupboard under the stairs. The cupboard door burst magically open as he reached it. In seconds, he had heaved his trunk to the front door. He sprinted upstairs and threw himself under the bed, wrenching up the loose floorboard, and grabbed the pillowcase full of his books and birthday presents. He quickly opened the diary, scribbling, __**I'm leaving.**__ Harry did not wait for a response. He wriggled out, seized Hedwig's empty cage, and dashed back downstairs to his trunk, just as Uncle Vernon burst out of the dining room, his trouser leg in bloody tatters.

"COME BACK IN HERE!" he bellowed. "COME BACK AND PUT HER RIGHT!"

But a reckless rage had come over Harry. He kicked his trunk open, pulled out his wand, and pointed it at Uncle Vernon.

"She deserved it," Harry said, breathing very fast. "She deserved what she got."

He fumbled behind him for the latch on the door.

"I'm going," Harry said. "I've had enough."

And in the next moment, he was out in the dark, quiet street.

Harry walked through the streets blindly, not thinking; simply walking in no real direction. He walked until, he felt his legs were about to collapse from underneath him and collapsed on the street corner. He sat and pulled out the diary. He felt a bit ashamed as he finally read Tom's response.

 _ ** _ **Leaving?**_**_ _ ** _ **Harry**_**_ _ ** _ **do you mean to say your running away?**_**_

 ** _ **Harry?...**_**

 ** _ **HARRY?! WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS RIGHT NOW? DIDN'T YOU JUST SAY THERE WAS A CONVICT ON THE LOOSE. I know the muggles are awful, but at least it's..somewhat safer there. Harry...What could you possibly be doing? Extremely worried here.. Harry, I swear when you finnaly right back..**_**

 ** _ **If you get into trouble, I will be very upset.**_**

Harry bit his lip as he reached for the quill and ink and responded, hand shaking as he wrote.

 ** _ **Yes, I ran away! I don't care, i'd rather take my chances with him than stay there. They just...they make me so ANGRY! SHE HAD NO RIGHT TO SPEAK ABOUT MY PARENTS THAT WAY!... I am sorry about worring you though. I'm alright...I'm just sitting on a street corner in the dark...**_**

Just then Harry heard a rustle. He looked down to continue writing, but almost immediately looked up once more, his hand clenched on his wand. He had sensed rather than heard it: someone or something was behind him. Harry squinted at the black alleyway. If only it would move, then he'd know whether it was just a stray cat or — something else." _ _Lumos,__ " Harry muttered, and a light appeared at the end of his wand, almost dazzling him. Harry saw the outline of something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes. Harry stepped backward thinking __What is that?! Tom I wish you were here...__. His legs hit his trunk and he tripped. His wand flew out of his hand as he flung out an arm to break his fall, and he landed, hard, in the gutter —There was a deafening BANG, and Harry threw up his hands to shield his eyes against a sudden blinding light —With a shout, he rolled back onto the pavement, just in time. A second later, a gigantic pair of wheels and headlights screeched to a halt exactly where Harry had just been lying. They belonged, as Harry saw when he raised his head, to a triple-decker, violently purple bus, which had appeared out of thin air. Gold lettering over the windshield spelled __The Knight Bus.__

* * *

Hope you enjoyed this work. In order to keep canon aspects certain phrases from the Prisoner of Azkaban were used.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)


	3. 3

Forgive me, University and Life have both been a pain. Your reviews as always truly inspire. Thanks for the favorites and follows :)

I don't own Harry Potter. Even if it owns me.

* * *

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard.! All ya gotta do is stick out your wand hand and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, I'll be your conduct-" Stan cut himself off noticing he was talking to no one. He looked down and saw Harry who had yet to get up.

"Whatcha doin' all the way down there?" asked Stan

"...I Fell over," Harry responded

" 'Choo fall over for?" snickered Stan.

"It's not like I did it on purpose!," Harry snapped beginning to feel rather annoyed. It wasn't his fault he had fallen, and it had hurt quite a bit. He winced as he got up noticing his skinned knee, which had begun to bleed some. As he inspected it, he remembered why he had fallen in the first place. He turned around to stare at the alleyway which he could now see better thanks to the buses' headlights. Harry frowned as he noticed that there was nothing in the alleyway. " 'Choo lookin' at?" Stan asked. Harry shook his head and responded "Nothing". He turned back and saw Stan's eyes move to the scar on Harry's forehead. "Woss that on your 'ead?" said Stan abruptly."Nothing," said Harry quickly, flattening his hair over his scar. If anyone was looking for him, he didn't want to make it easy for them. He wasn't eager to get caught or in trouble. "Woss your name?" Stan persisted.

"Tom Riddle," said Harry, saying the first name that came into his head. _Probably shouldn't have said that..._

"So — so this bus," he went on quickly, hoping to distract Stan, "Did you say it goes _anywhere_?" "Yep," said Stan proudly, "long's it's on land. Can't do nuffin underwater. 'Ere," he said, looking suspicious again, "you _did_ flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand ..?"

"Of course I did, you're here aren't you?," said Harry quickly. "Listen, how much would it be to get to Diagon Alley, London?"

"Ya I guess. It's Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "but for firteen you get 'ot chocolate, and for fifteen you get an 'ot water bottle an' a toofbrush. In the color of your choice." Harry rummaged once more in his trunk, and shoved some gold into Stan's hand. He and Stan then lifted his trunk, with Hedwig's cage balanced on top, up the steps.

"You can 'ave this one," Stan whispered, shoving Harry's trunk under the bed right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel. "This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This is Tom Riddle, Ern." Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to Harry, who nervously flattened his bangs again and sat down on his bed. Harry was thrown back on his bed by the speed of the Knight Bus as it took off into the night.

Stan had unfurled a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ and was now reading. A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly at Harry from the front page. He looked strangely familiar.

"That man!" Harry exclaimed. "He was on the Muggle news!"

Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled.

"Sirius Black," he said, nodding. " 'Course 'e was on the Muggle news, Tom, where you been?"

Seeing the confusion of Harry's face he removed the front page, and handed it over to Harry.

"You oughta read the papers more, Tom."

 _I would if the Dursely's would let me have or do anything with the wizarding world during the summer...  
_

Harry held the paper up to the candlelight and read:

 **BLACK STILL AT LARGE**

[Sirius Black, quite possibly the most infamous prisoner to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today.

"We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm."

Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for in forming the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis.

"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it — who'd believe him if he did?"

While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.]

Harry looked into the shadowed eyes of Sirius Black, the only part of the sunken face that seemed alive. Harry had never met a vampire, but he had seen pictures of them in his Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, and Black, with his waxy white skin, looked just like one. _So Tom was right...he is a wizard. Although for some reason...I feel like I know him.._

Harry's thoughts were interrupted as Stan said, "Scary-lookin' fing, inee?"

"He murdered _thirteen people_?" said Harry, handing the page back to Stan, "with _one curse_?"

"Yep," said Stan, "in front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?"

"Ar," said Ern darkly.

Stan swiveled in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at Harry. "Black woz one of the biggest supporters of You-Know-'Oo," he said.

"Of Voldemort?" said Harry, without thinking.

"You mad kid?" yelped Stan. " 'Choo say 'is name for?"

"Sorry," said Harry hastily. "Sorry, I — I forgot —"

"So — so Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who?"

"Yeah, that's right. Very close to You-Know-'Oo, they say. Anyway, when little 'Arry Potter got the better of You-Know-'Oo, most of You-Know-'Oo's supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, Ern? Most of 'em knew it was over, wiv You-Know-'Oo gone, and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I 'eard he figured 'e'd be second-in-command once You-Know-'Oo 'ad taken over.

"They cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf the street apart, an' a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way. 'Orrible, eh? An' you know what Black did then?" Stan continued voice low and dramatic.

"What?" said Harry. _I need to tell Tom this. If he was a huge supporter then, he must hate me for destroying his master! Great, someone else who'll try to kill me. They should start a club. I'll have to be careful I suppose._

"Laughed," said Stan. "Jus' stood there an' laughed. 'Cos 'e's mad, inee, Ern?

"If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he definitely is now," said Ern in his slow voice. "I'd off meself before ever going to that place.

"An' now 'e's out," said Stan, examining the newspaper pic ture of Black's gaunt face again. "Never been a breakout from Azkaban before, 'as there, Ern? Beats me 'ow 'e did it. Frightenin', eh? Mind, I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern?"

Ernie shivered.

"Don't even talk about 'dem guards of Azkaban Stan."

He, Harry, had broken wizard law just like Sirius Black. Was inflating Aunt Marge bad enough to land him in Azkaban? Harry didn't know anything about the wizard prison, much less wizarding law, though everyone he'd ever heard speak of it did so in the same fearful tone. Harry tried to keep himself calm, telling himself that they surely wouldn't place a thirteen year old in that place. _They sent that letter though when there was that mess with Dobby._ His speculations were interrupted as Ern slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley.

Harry got out ready to leave when a voice said, " _There_ you are, Harry"

Before Harry could turn, he felt a hand on his shoulder. At the same time, Stan shouted, "Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come _'ere_!"

Harry looked up at the owner of the hand on his shoulder and felt a bucketful of ice cascade into his stomach — he had walked right into Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself. Stan jumped down onto the pavement beside them.

"What didja call Tom, Minister?!" he said zealously.

"Tom?" he repeated, frowning. "This is Harry Potter."

"I knew it!" Stan shouted elatedly. "Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Tom is, Ern! 'E's 'Arry Potter! I can see 'is scar!"

"Yes," said Fudge testily, "well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked Harry up, but he and I need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now …"

Fudge increased the pressure on Harry's shoulder, and Harry found himself being steered inside the pub.

Fudge marched Harry along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlor. Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room.

"Sit down, Harry," said Fudge, indicating a chair by the fire.

Harry sat down, feeling goose bumps rising up his arms despite the glow of the fire. Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and cast it aside, then hitched up the trousers of his bottle-green suit and sat down in front of Harry.

"I am Cornelius Fudge, Harry. The Minister of Magic."

Harry already knew this, of course; he had seen Fudge once before, but he had been wearing his father's Invisibility Cloak at the time, so obviously Fudge wasn't aware of this.

Tom the innkeeper reappeared with a tray of tea and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table between Fudge and Harry and left the parlor, closing the door behind him.

"Well, Harry," said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you. Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I'd started to think … but you're safe, and that's what matters."

Fudge buttered himself a crumpet and pushed the plate toward Harry.

"Eat, Harry, you look just about dead on your feet. Now then … You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of your aunt. Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all...So that's that, and no harm done."

"All that remains," said Fudge, now buttering himself a second crumpet, "is to decide where you're going to spend the last three weeks of your vacation.

Fudge strode out of the parlor and Harry stared after him. There was something extremely odd going on. Why had Fudge been waiting for him at the Leaky Cauldron, if not to punish him for what he'd done? And now Harry came to think of it, surely it wasn't usual for the Minister of Magic _himself_ to get involved in matters of underage magic? Although Harry could admit to himself now, the idea of being sent to Azkaban for accidentally blowing her up, he was still getting off rather easy. Why was the ministry being so forgiving all of a sudden. He'd think about it more later and ask Tom what he thought.

Fudge came back, accompanied by Tom the innkeeper.

"Room eleven's free, Harry," said Fudge. "I think you'll find it to be quite commodious. Just one thing, and I'm sure you'll understand … I don't want you wandering off into Muggle London, all right? Keep to Diagon Alley. And you're to be back here before dark each night. Sure you'll understand. Tom will be keeping an eye on you for me."

"Okay," said Harry slowly, "but why — ?"

"Don't want to lose you again, do we?" said Fudge with a hearty laugh. "No, no … best we know where you are. … I mean …"

 _Right..._

Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak.

"Well, I'll be off, plenty to do, you know. …"

"Have you had any luck with Black yet?" Harry asked.

Fudge's finger slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak.

"What's that? Oh, you've heard — well, no, not yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban guards have never yet failed … and they are angrier than I've ever seen them."

Fudge shuddered slightly. "So, I'll say good-bye." Shaking Harry's hand, Fudge left the room. Tom now moved forward, beaming at Harry.

"If you'll follow me, Mr. Potter," he said, "I've already taken your things up. …" Harry followed Tom up a nice wooden staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it, which Tom unlocked and opened for him.

Inside was a very comfortable-looking bed, some highly polished oak furniture, a cheerfully crackling fire and, perched on top of the wardrobe —

"Hedwig!" Harry snowy owl clicked her beak and fluttered down onto Harry's arm.

"Very smart owl you've got there," chuckled Tom. "Arrived about five minutes after you did. If there's anything you need, Mr. Potter, don't hesitate to ask."

He gave another bow and left.

Harry sat on his bed then quickly pulled out the Diary.

 _Tom, you were right about Sirius being a Wizard. Apparently he's a big supporter of Voldemort. He also just so happens to be a raving lunatic and a mass murderer.  
_

 _ **Indeed. I do not recall a Sirius Black at school with me so he must have joined my older self after Hogwarts. Harry you need to be careful. The darkest of wizards are sent to Azkaban. For him to have escaped means he's even more dangerous than others. Not to mention cunning... He must have been quite the asset.**_

 _Don't call him your older self. You're Tom. Not Voldemort._ _... Anyway I'm at the Leaky Cauldron. I got on the Knight Bus and asked to be taken here. Then the Minister showed up and told me to be more careful and that_ _they put my Aunt back to normal. I was kind of upset to hear that. I had hoped she'd stay like that longer. Would serve her right. Also the minster was acting really strange. He seemed extremely nervous and I didn't even get a lecture or a punishment of any kind. Not that I want to get in trouble, but when Dobby used magic at my house last summer, I was sent a warning from the ministry about underage magic. Now this. Also I noticed when I mentioned if they'd had any luck finding Black he seemed more panicky then before...it was all just very odd Tom.  
_

 _ **Harry, for the way she spoke to you I would have hoped she'd fly up so high she'd be hit by a plane, or she'd continue to blow up until she exploded. Now aboout the minister, I'm not surprised he's nervous, this man whom you've described sounds very dangerous and he's escaped from Azkaban, a feat I assume none have ever done (As none had in my time). Although it seems to me there could be a correlation between his escape, and you're lack of chastisement. Perhaps he's more focused on capturing Black than punishing a teen for using accidental underage magic. Also, remember who you are Harry, you were alone on the streets with this man on the loose, this zealot of Lord Voldemort who probably would not have hesitated to kill you.**_

 _I think you're right about the minister Tom. Maybe he's just glad the boy-who-lived wasn't killed by the escaped Voldemort supporter while he's in charge. Tom, she was awful, but I wouldn't wish death on her...don't say such terrible things.._

 _ **Harry I told you before. Voldemort is my past, present and future. I am Tom yes, but I'm also Voldemort. I am not a nice person Harry. Ginny told me about what she knew of my older self. All he had killed and tortured. Even now as I am...I am amenable to doing whatever is necessary to get what I want... Or to protect what is mine. **_

Harry frowned staring at those words as they faded. Hand shaking he wrote

 _No, you're not Voldemort. Voldemort has tried to kill me. Twice. You instead care about me. You've been my friend since last year. You didn't even kill Ginny because I asked. Maybe you're not nice but, it's okay as long as you continue to care about me. You don't need to kill or hurt people Tom. You're better than that. Anyway I suppose I need to find out more about Black if I wanna stay ahead of him and keep safe. _

**_If you say so...and Harry, that's a ghastly Idea. That's simply asking for trouble._**

 _I don't ask for trouble Tom!  
_

 ** _It just happens?_**

 _Exactly! It absolutely does! I have the worst luck, I mean someone else who wants to kill me..  
_

 ** _I'm sure things will look up in due time Harry._**

 _Maybe, anyway, Goodnight Tom and remember that you're not Voldemort. Not yet or not anymore_

Sensing his eyes beginning to close, Harry closed the diary not waiting to read the response. He laid down on his side, clutching the diary to his chest. "I believe in you Tom" he whispered into the darkness of his room, "Even if you won't believe in yourself. Blowing out the candle he looked to his other companion. "Goodnight Hedwig, I have no idea what's going on, but I hope I'll find out soon" he yawned and drifted off.


	4. 4

Thank you for reading this! To those who have enjoyed the story I'm so glad! And to those who were concerned about the material used from the novels, I explained this to someone else, but I will do so again, I felt it was necessary in order to establish the cannon beginning as sort of a setting. I planned out that only the first three chapters would have this and the rest would not, meaning here begins the divergence! It bothered me as well, the first three chapters having much of the same content, but I decided it would be the best way to go about it. The way this story will go is yes, Harry going through the main events of each year, although there will be quite a number of major changes thanks to the treatment of everyone in his second year, and remember he's been conversing with Tom so that will definitely influence many of his decisions. I don't want to give too much away, but the way I've planned this story, it won't be too soon that Harry's Tom comes out of the Diary so yes, they will converse through the diary. I'm sorry if this bores some of you, but that's just the way it's going to be. Thank you for all reviews positive or constructive criticism which I also consider positive! Please always comment questions, concerns, comments in general, it means a lot!

* * *

Harry's summer consisted of wandering around Diagon Alley and completing his summer work. Finally, the last day had arrived. Harry was ecstatic to be going back to Hogwarts, despite the upset the treatment he had revived from those he called his friends had caused. He was glad he'd decided to give Hermione another chance, although he wondered what he was going to do to distance himself from Ron. Shaking his head he walked out and wandered around without really noticing where he was going. He entered various shops simply to look around, making sure to stop by Fortescue's Ice cream for one last treat and to thank him for all of his help with his homework. He walked off again enjoying his ice cream when he paused. Looking to the left he noticed where he had stopped and grinned. Without even trying he wound up in front of the window with the beautiful Firebolt on display. He walked up and gazed at it, sighing with longing as he imagined what it would feel like to fly around on that wondrous broom. He fought to tear himself away from the display, his feet feeling heavy as he walked away.

 _I can't spend that much on a broomstick, even if it is the world's fastest...and would be such an asset to the Gryffindor team, having a seeker with a Firebolt! Maybe I could...No keep walking Harry, you need to get back._

When he arrived back at the Leaky Cauldron he waved to Tom as he walked in.

"Hello Harry," greeted Tom with a smile. "It's that time again isn't it, off to Hogwarts with you. Although I'll admit I'm going to miss having yuo wanderin' about.

Harry laughed. "It's been great staying here Tom, but I'm happy to be going back to Hogwarts. I felt like I was slowly going mad not having much to do!

"Well of with you now lad, make sure you don't leave anythin' behind"

Harry nodded and said his goodbye as he marched himself up the steps to his room for the past few weeks. He opened the door and looked around making sure nothing was left out of his trunk. Satisfied that he had put everything away he decided to sleep early.

He awoke the following morning feeling quite refreshed. He quickly got dressed and head down for his last breakfast. While he was eating Tom approached him and eagerly told him.

"Your car is here Harry."

Harry almost spit out his milk. "My what"?" Tom grinned and replied, "The ministry had sent a car for you to take you down to the station. Now hurry up now, you don't want to miss the train do you?

Harry shot up quickly to bring down all his things, However Tom stopped him, a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Everything is already taken care of, now get on out to the car and take care of yourself alright Harry?"

"I will" Harry promised before running out to the car.

Harry pushed his trolley along as he made his way to platform 9 ¾ laughing to himself as he remembered the angry worker who thought he had been yanking his chain asking for directions. The events of last year could not be forgotten either, crashing into the wall with Ron when Dobby had shut the passage. Thinking about Ron, Harry felt a pang in his chest missing his friend. He scoffed _I don't need him, I have Tom..I should tell him about all this, I bet he'd get a kick out of it._

Arriving at the entrance to the Express he quickly ran through and handed over his things saying goodbye to Hedwig. Harry walked through the corridor looking for an empty compartment, avoiding looking at anyone. For all his talk that summer, Harry was still nervous about the reactions of his fellows this year. He stopped in front of the final compartment, noticing it was empty, except for a man slouched against the window his face covered by his somewhat graying brown hair. Harry opened the compartment door and sat down across from the man. He glanced over and noticed the name on the suitcase near him. Professor _R.J Lupin..._ Harry studied the man before him, only able to get a glimpse of his face. He saw what looked like scars and despite seeming not quite old, he was..aged somehow. Before Harry could ponder this further he heard the compartment door slid open. He turned his head quickly and saw Hermione standing before him looking unsure of herself.

She stood before him mouth open a bit as if she wanted to speak but could not get the words out.

Feeling the awkward look and silence was worse than anything she could say Harry asked, "You wanna sit down?" Harry noticed a look of relief wash over her as she nodded and sat next to him.

"Hello Harry, I missed you this summer."

Harry gave her a slight smile and responded, "I missed you too Hermione. How was your summer?" She bit her lip and turned to him.

"It was alright, on the last few days of the holiday, I met up with the Weasleys in Diagon Alley. Everything was fine, except for Ronald."

As she stated his name a dark look crossed her face. Harry looked at her in confusion, as the last time he had seen them, they had been quite united. "What did he do?"

"Well, we went to the Magical Menagerie where I found Crookshanks, the most wonderful cat! It's in his nature! He chased Scabbars around but didn't hurt him! And Ron blew up at me over it, when he should be keeping a closer eye on his stupid rat! Anyway, he's completely overreacting and blowing this out of proportion-"

She stopped mid rant and turned to harry and began to ramble,

"Harry I know I apologized in my letter, but I need to again in person, I'm so sorry for last year! Even if I didn't attack you directly, I didn't help you or stand by you and I'm so ashamed and sorry for what I did! You're one of my best friends and I don't know what I'd do without you Harry and-"

Harry cut her off placing his hand over her mouth, "It's alright Hermione, really I forgive you and I still want to be friends."

Hermione's eyes filled with tears as she threw her arms around him. "Thankyou Harry, I promise to always stand by you from now on," she whispered fiercely. Harry patted her back awkwardly and decided to change the subject,

" Have you heard about Sirius Black?"

"Yes, on the muggle news and the prophet! Harry, he's extremely dangerous and worse he's on the loose!" She gasped "I almost forgot, when I was staying at the Leaky Cauldron I heard Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arguing. I couldn't really hear them that well, but they were talking about Black and you. I think Mr. Weasley wanted to tell you something but Mrs. Weasley said she didn't want you to worry.

Harry frowned as he thought about this new information.

"Well.." He started, "He is a supporter of Voldemort, and Mr. Weasley works for the ministry, he might know something about what Black is after." Hermione looked at him with concern, "He wants to kill you doesn't he? I mean I know you're the Boy-Who-Lived and killed his Lord, but there has to be something more to this!"

Harry nodded, "Yeah, there has to be more." Hermione looked at him with determination,

"We'll figure it out together Harry."

Harry smiled and nodded, _I need to tell Tom about this..should I tell Hermione about Tom..I mean maybe I can tell her about him without telling her who he is..or who he was..or going to be.. ugh! who he isn't! Not here though I'll tell her sometime when we're back at Hogwar-_

His musings were cut short as the train jolted to a stop, the lights flickering than going out.

Harry and Hermione shot out of their seats and slid the door open poking there heads out to see if there could determine what was occurring. Harry heard the mutterings and exclamations of the students

"We can't be there"

"What's going on?"

"Did we break down?"

"How long are we going to be here?"

"I don't like the dark!"

"Why is it so cold all of a sudden?"

Harry shivered as he too felt the temperature drop. He and Hermione sat back down.

"What do you think is going on Hermione?"

"...I don't know Harry but something isn't right."

Harry felt everything get colder as he saw something move outside the compartment door. The figure opened the door slowly. Harry felt everything stop, as he looked at the creature before him in fear. He barely registered, Hermione clutching at his hand shaking with fear as well. The figure began to lean in and Harry began to feel dizzy and everything began to go dark, he briefly saw the man who had been asleep, jump up, but he abruptly felt everything slip away as he heard distantly heard the screams of a woman echoing.

The world slowly came back into focus as Harry felt hands gently help him up. As his vision returned he saw Hermione and the man looking at him, one simply worried the other with a very grim look on his face. Hermione sighed with relief when she noticed he had come to and exclaimed, "Harry thank goodness you're alright!"

Harry looked around slowly, "..What was that." The man finally spoke, his voice soft and calm, with a slight edge to it. "That was a Dementor, a creature who guards the prisoners of Azkaban." As he explained he placed a small piece of chocolate in his hand.

"You need to eat this Harry, you'll feel better."

Harry slowly lifted the treat and nibbled reluctantly, having no appetite whatsoever. Satisfied that Harry was eating the chocolate, the man excused himself and walked out. They sat there in silence until Hermione spoke, "He's probably the replacement for the Defense Against the Dark Arts Post. It looks like he actually knows the material, I mean when the Dementor came in and bent over you, he woke up and pulled out his wand telling the Dementor that Sirius Black wasn't here. Then he used some spell that made the Dementor get off you and leave.." The conversation died down as Harry didn't really feel like talking after what had happened. He nibbled on his chocolate until they finally arrived at Hogwarts. As Harry and Hermione slowly made their way off the train he heard someone shout his name. "Oi Potter! I heard you fainted Potter!" recognizing the voice Harry slowly turned around to face Ron. Harry felt upset as he realized Ron was going to continue where he left off last year. Feeling the need to defend himself he was about to shout a retort when he felt Hermione tug on his arm.

"Don't Harry, it isn't worth it. Just ignore him." As they were herded into the school their Head of House walked up and pulled them Aside. "I heard what happened Mr. Potter, and I insist you go see Madam Pomfrey."

"But I al-"

"No excuses Mr. Potter, now come along."

Left with no choice Harry and Hermione followed Professor McGonagall to the infirmary where the explained to the Mediwitch what had occurred.

"Mr. Lupin already gave me chocolate Ma'am."

She looked surprised then nodded in satisfaction. "Finally, someone who knows the basic healing that goes along with defense." Being dismissed they were escorted back to the feast, where they sat down near the edge of the table. Ron and a few of their fellow Gryffindors glared at them, although Harry noticed there were a few rather friendly faces. Ginny looked quite worried, as did Neville. Others like Dean simply looked uncomfortable over the entire matter which was just as nice in Harry's eyes.

Being dismissed they were escorted back to the feast, where they sat down near the edge of the table. Ron and a few of their fellow Gryffindors glared at them, although Harry noticed there were a few rather friendly faces. Ginny looked quite worried, as did Neville. Others like Dean simply looked uncomfortable over the entire matter which was just as nice in Harry's eyes.

"Now, I have the pleasure of introducing your new teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Lupin!"

The man from their compartment stood up and gave a short bow smiling in Harry and Hermione's direction before sitting down. Dumbledore waited for the polite applause to die down before continuing to announce that Hagrid was going to be their Professor for Care of Magical Creatures. Harry and Hermione shared a look as they were both thinking the same thing. Of course, Hagrid had assigned those Monstrous Books. He had a habit of finding dangerous things to be charming or amusing. As they followed the prefects back to their dorm Harry sighed, not excited to tell Tom all that had occurred.

 _He's going to go mental over this. I can see it now "You are such a magnet for Danger Harry! I told you to be careful!"_

Harry sighed as he said goodnight to Hermione and walked up to his dorm. He walked in and stealthily grabbed the diary. He pulled the curtains shut around him as he opened it.

 _Hi Tom!_

 _ **Hello Harry, How are you? Are you back at Hogwarts?**_

 _Yeah, I am. So I'm friends with Hermionie still and she told me about a conversation she was kind of able to hear about Black. From what she could hear it seems like he's after me for some reason. She figures it's gotta be something other than the fact he's a supporter of Voldemort's and that I'm the BWL. I agree with her, there has to be something else. I mean they wouldn't make a big deal about that or try to keep it secret right?_

 _ **Indeed, It is rather suspicious. I'm glad you have another ally Harry, I hope you find more people who will help where I am unable. My words can after all only offer a small comfort.**_

Harry looked at Tom's response in disbelief and quickly wrote back

 _It's not small! You where there when nobody else was! Tom you're words mean so much to me! Really yeah it'd be great if more people started being nice to me again like Hermionie, but I need you Tom._

 _ **Harry...Thank you.**_

 _ **So did anything else happen?**_

Harry gulped. Here It was. Time to face the music.

 _Well...one of the Dementors showed up on the train looking for Black, but I'm okay honest! The new professor got rid of it and helped me! Nothing really bad happened I'm totally fine!_

 _ **A WHAT ATTACKED YOU! HARRY JAMES POTTER WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT TROUBLE!...No, this isn't your fault, you just attract danger. I'm glad the professor helped you, although I assume that there will be more of those creatures wandering about until Black is apprehended...You need to learn the charm to repel them. It's called the Patronus. Ask that Professor if he can teach you.**_

 _It's not like I try Tom! Yeah, Dumbledore said the ministry has them around, so to be really careful. Okay, I'll do that tomorrow. Anyway it's late so good night Tom._

 _ **Good Night Harry, Sweet Dreams..**_

Harry closed the diary, slipping it under his pillow. He stopped his Lumos and after taking his glasses of fell asleep.

The next morning Harry woke up to find the dorm empty. He got ready quickly and went down to find Hermione waiting for him in the common room.

"Morning Harry!" She greeted him cheerfully, "Ready to head down for breakfast?"

"Morning Hermione," He replied with a grin. They walked off towards the Great Hall wondering about their classes. As they sat down, they found their timetables. Harry looked his over seeing he had Divination first. He glanced over to Hermione's and was shocked to see all the classes.

"Hermione, how are you taking all of those classes!" She jumped a bit in shock then bit her lip as she glanced around before leaning in and whispering. "You can't tell anyone okay?"

"I promise, who am I going to tell Hermione?" She grimaced noticing the lack of tact in her question. Looking around quickly once again she leaned in again and whispered, "The way I'm taking these classes is thanks to something called a time turner. Thanks to McGonagall I can take all these classes by going back in time a bit to make it to all these classes."

Harry looked at her shocked. "You're actually going to be able to time travel! Wow Hermione!"

She smiled at him before tucking her time table away. "She had to get special permission from the ministry for me to be able to use it. I'm so excited about all I'm going to be able to learn!"

She continued to talk about all the classes, listing which she was more excited to learn about and what she had read about during the summer as they finished their meal. They stood up and began to make their way to Divination.


	5. 5

Thank you all for the interest in this story of mine! Please continue to send me your thoughts, comments, questions, concerns, criticisms, etc. in any way comment/review, message, email. I crave to know what you are thinking. I hope you enjoyed these new chapters, hopefully, I'll update sooner than last time.

* * *

The beginning of Harry's first week flew by. It had only been a few days, yet Harry had embraced his long forgotten passion for knowledge. That which he had buried long ago when he had only started his educational journey; his achievements were ignored or belittled by his 'family'. Well, this mattered no longer as they couldn't really do anything about it while he was at Hogwarts and he enjoyed learning. Harry was still kicking himself over his work for the past two years. Both Hermione and Tom assured him he could improve himself in no time.

Having Hagrid as a teacher for Care of Magical Creatures was turning out rather like he and Hermione had imagined it would. Potions was about the same, although now that he was working with Hermione, and actually applying himself, his work had improved. Snape wasn't singing his praises, yet however grudgingly, he also was not attacking his work anymore (although personal attacks were not lacking). It might have been his imagination, but he felt Snape was being more ruthless than usual with poor Neville; the rest of his fellow Gryffindors were treated, as usual, not that well. Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, and Astronomy were also about the same, nothing really changing besides his homework and class habits. History of Magic was as dull as ever, but Harry was taking notes and, mostly, keeping awake. He considered this a success.

Defense Against the Dark arts with Professor Lupin was… wonderful! The man was truly a competent teacher. His classes were insightful and fun as well. Harry had yet to ask him for help with the spell against the Dementors, but he would! Finally, there was Divination. As soon as the class had begun with _her_ whispery voice and exaggerated mannerisms, Harry and Hermione had shared a look in disbelief over Trelawney. She seemed to sense their skepticism as she attempted to impress with various statements and predictions including Harry's death, along with his date of birth, which mind you, she got wrong. _Mid-winter?_ They both had a laugh at her expense after that first class.

Finally, the penultimate day of the school week had arrived. The two companions walked up the spiraling staircase to the Divination classroom where they sat down waiting for class to begin. It had gone the same as the previous class when the unthinkable occurred. A professor had told Hermione she would not succeed in their class. Harry stared at Trelawney in disbelief.

 _Books not enough?! Hermione not succeeding? …And what the bloody hell is an inner-eye?_ Harry's musings were cut short as an offended Hermione stormed out of the class. _I should go after her, I mean it's not like I'm going to learn anything worthwhile here._ Ignoring the protests of their professor and the whispers and stares of his classmates, he collected his belongings and walked briskly out in order to catch up to his friend.

"Hermione slow down!"

She sped up. Her fast walking had become almost a jog.

"Hermione wait! Stop!"

Harry ran up to her as she stopped, facing the wall away from him.

"Hermione?" Harry said softly. "Are you okay?"

She slowly turned to face him, and to Harry's dismay there were tears in her eyes. "I'm not good enough to learn her bloody art? I could learn that rubbish if I really wanted to!" She rubbed at her eyes furiously with her sleeves.

Harry placed his arm over her shoulder and smiled at her. "Of course you could, she's such a fraud, and you're the best student in our year Hermione! Don't listen to her! I mean just drop the class, who needs it anyway. I'm sure McGonagall won't mind. You're taking a boat-load as it is."

She laughed and replied, "You're absolutely right Harry. Who needs that garbage…you should drop the class as well Harry! You could take Ancient Runes, now that's a fascinating subject!"

Harry shrugged and looked down, "I dunno Hermione, it sounds pretty complicated… I don't know if I'm ready for something that challenging."

Hermione smacked Harry's arm with her book and exclaimed, "Harry James Potter, you've accomplished more academically these past 3 days than you did in the past 2 years! You are brilliant Harry, and I'm sure you'll find the subject as interesting as I do! Besides, you'll have me there to help you."

Harry grinned, "With you there I doubt I could fail!"

She smiled at him then opened her bag, rummaging around for her time-table. "I have Muggle Studies and Arithmancy the same time as Divination on Thursdays, so I'll still have to take care of that with the time turner…Study of Ancient Runes is Mondays and Fridays so we'll ask McGonagall once I'm done with my classes."

"Alright, have fun Hermione, I'll wait for you in the library, then we'll head on over to transfiguration."

She laughed and replied, "Harry once I use this Time-turner, the time I'm gone will feel like seconds to you." She grabbed his arm and dragged him over to an empty classroom. Hermione pulled on the chain around her neck which Harry saw was golden. On the chain was a small hourglass, encircled in gold. She held onto the small knobs on the circumference and began to twirl it, her mouth moving as she counted the turns. Then she stopped…and vanished!

Harry was gobsmacked. _She's gone…She's actually Time-traveling! This is just like Dr. Who on the telly, without the TARDIS…I love magic._

Harry was grinning when all of a sudden the door behind him opened and in walked Hermione.

"That was amazing Hermione! You couldn't have been gone even a minute!"

She giggled, slightly out of breath. "I told you! Now let's go see if Professor McGonagall is free!"

The two made their way to her office and knocked.

"Enter", the professor stated. Harry opened the door and held it as Hermione walked through. McGonagall peered at them and said, "What can I do for you, Mr. Potter and Miss Granger?"

Hermione replied for them both, "We wish to drop Divination professor, I can't believe I'm saying this about a class, but it's a waste of our time!"

The elder woman smirked a bit and said, "Yes, I've never seen much use for it myself. Now there is no problem in you dropping the class Miss Granger, however, Mr. Potter would be lacking in an elective.

Harry cleared his throat and responded, "I'd like to take Study of Ancient Runes with Hermione If that's alright…"

She seemed surprised then seemed to reconsider whatever it was she had been about to say, "...I'm sure you'll do fine with the way you've been working these first few days. Consider it taken care of Mr. Potter, I'm sure Bathsheda will have an extra book lying around. Make sure you're in the next class."

"Yes Professor."

She smiled at them, "Now off with you, I'll see you two in class." They said their goodbyes and began to make their way to the classroom.

As they were walking Harry pondered all that he had yet to tell his friend. _I should ask her to learn the Patronus with me. I also want to tell her about Tom, but I don't want to lose her. What if she doesn't understand…I need more time for an explanation like this… I'll ask her if she'll be staying for the Christmas Holidays._

Mind made up, Harry conversed with Hermione over what he had missed in that first lesson of Ancient Runes.

Nothing of noteworthy had occurred. Ron had teased them for leaving Divination, but the two companions had mostly ignored him. Hagrid had brought in a hippogriff, which Draco had antagonized, resulting in being injured. Harry had given Buckbeak an extra pat for it. Sirius Black had been spotted nearby, but no one was truly worried, having no doubt it would be impossible for him to enter the school. Finally, the Halloween feast had arrived. After eating the students made their way to their respective dorms. The various corridors and passages were filled with the chatter of its inhabitants. As Harry and Hermione made their way up the Staircase, they saw various students gathered before their Entrance Portrait.

Harry strained to hear the various conversations.

"Did you see it?"

"...Sliced!"

"...Black?"

 _What's going on? Why is everyone here._

Harry felt himself be pushed aside.

"Make way! I'm Head Boy! Move on now, Let myself and the Headmaster through!"

Percy Weasley was navigating Dumbledore through the mass of students. Harry nudged Hermione signaling they should follow in order to get closer. As they neared the portrait Harry was shocked by what he saw.

 _...What?! The Fat Lady's Portrait has been slashed through! Why? Although I suppose a better question is who..?_

"Where's the Fat Lady?"

"Send the Ghosts to search for her."

"…That won't be necessary Headmaster…She's up there!"

Harry snapped to attention, looking in the direction pointed. Sure enough there she was peeking out! Harry and Hermione followed the sea of students and faculty as they ran up to her.

"My dear, who did this to you?" questioned the Headmaster in his soothing voice.

The fat lady peeked out from her hiding spot and responded, voice quivering, "That devil of a man! A monster he is! Stark mad as well! SIRIUS BLACK!" She shrieked his name than hid once more. At her exclamation, the faces of all those who had heard felt fear grow within.

"Sirius Black is in the castle…" Hermione whispered to Harry faintly.

Harry simply stared at her. _How did he get in here! How could he have slipped by everyone…_

Harry and Hermione, along with all the other students were led into the Great Hall where they were told they were going to be sleeping in until the castle was searched. Harry and Hermione settled in next to each other and spoke in low voices.

"Harry, I don't understand how he got all the way here, let alone how he got in!"

Harry shook his head, "I don't know Hermione, Is it even possible that he could slip in like this?"

She frowned and replied, "I don't think he could have gotten in alone, but then again, no one thought anyone could ever break out of Azkaban…anyway, let's just get some rest Harry alright?"

"Goodnight Hermione.."  
"Goodnight Harry"

There was no sign of Sirius Black. As he was nowhere to be found, the students were allowed back into their dorm and the Hogsmede visits were announced to begin as it was now November. Harry was rather upset he wouldn't be able to go, but was pleased the first quidditch match would take place next week.

"I forgot all about that! I wasn't able to get mine signed because of the incident with my Aunt! Not to mention the whole running away thing."

"Don't worry Harry, I'll stay with you here if you'd like?" Hermione told him sympathetically.

Harry sighed, "No, have fun okay?" They waved goodbye and Hermione went off with the other Hogsmeade visitors. Harry sighed once more than turned around only to be grabbed and dragged off behind a statue.

 _What?!_

As he struggled he heard two voices whisper.

"Oi! Calm down Harry, it's just us!"

As he was let go he turned to see the identical grins of Fred and George Weasley.

"What are you guys doing!?" They laughed and replied.

"Well Harry-"

"Seeing as you're unable to go to Hogsmeade-"

"We've decided to help you out-"

"A way of apologizing for the behavior of our git of a little brother-"

"We humbly present this to you!" They finished together. Harry looked down to see them holding out… a worn scrap of parchment.

"What is this….?" Harry asked. They smirked and replied, "The secret to our success! Tap it with your wand and say, 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!" As they proclaimed these words Harry stared in wonder as flowy red ink appeared on the parchment, dancing about the page in order to spell out:

 _Messers; Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs are proud to present…the marauders map?_

The twins opened up their gift, to Harry's amazement, he saw what's the map's purpose was.

"This is a map of the school…it's showing where everyone is..." Harry spoke in awe of what he was seeing. The twins closed the map then said, "Now when you're done just say 'mischief managed' and you're all done! It'll wipe itself clean and this way no one can read it." As they finished their explanation, they fully placed the item in Harry's hands. "There are also secret passages on the map, we'll let you figure it out on your own though, don't want to give it all away!" With that, the twins ran off after the students who were on their way to the village.

Harry stood there staring at the parchment in his hands, frozen in amazement.

"What are you doing back here Mr. Potter?"

Harry spun around quickly making sure to keep the map flat against his side. He turned to see his favorite professor of the year.

"Hello Professor Lupin! I'm just…exploring since I couldn't get my permission slip to Hogsmeade signed."

The older man nodded and replied, "I see, well be sure to take care." With that, he began to turn away.

 _Hold on, this is my chance to ask him to help me with the spell!_

"Professor wait!"

He turned. "Yes?" he inquired gently.

"Uh….It's just um, I was wondering if you could help me learn a particular spell…The Patronus, I'd like to be able to use it against the dementors, it seems as if they affect me quite harshly.."

The professor stared at him before stating, "This is a very advanced spell…but if you're that determined I'll teach you. If you are willing to postpone your exploring we may begin today."

"Yeah, that'd be great!"

"Very well, then please accompany me to my office."

They walked off together, talking about the year so far.

 _He's great to talk too... not to mention he's actually agreed to teach me! I can't wait to tell Tom and Hermione!_

* * *

:)


	6. Chapter 6

Hello again! Hope you enjoy the new chapter. Reviews are the force that sustains my life as a writer. I'm sorry It's been so long. Life-what can I say?

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and never will. If I did I would have made Scorbus cannon in Cursed Child

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"Now Harry as I said before, the Patronus charm is highly advanced magic, do not be discouraged if you are unable to produce anything your first couple of tries." Harry nodded, showing he understood. Remus smiled and walked them over to stand before a locked chest. "Inside this chest is a Bogart. It should become a Dementor once more. However instead of stating Ridikulus, while imagining something amusing; "You are going to think of a happy thought, the most powerful happy thought you can imagine and state Expecto Patronum".

 _...A happy thought... Well I could think of flying... but I don't think that will be enough. I'll think of the two most important people in my life. Tom and Hermione, I feel happiest when talking with them._

"I'm ready Professor", Harry stated as he stood wand ready. Lupin pulled out his own wand, unlocking the chest and pulling it open. Harry stood frozen for a bit as the dark creature slowly crept out of the chest. It hovered than began to swoop towards him. Harry narrowed his eyes and thought hard about his friends.

 _Tom, Hermione give me strength_!

"EXPECTO PATRONUM" Harry exclaimed and a white barrier came to be between himself and the 'Dementor'. He used the barrier to force the being back down into the chest which the Professor quickly re grinned. I did it! He turned to his professor who stood there silently staring at him, an expression of shock frozen upon his 's smile slowly slipped of his face ". D-Did I do something wrong...?"

Professor Lupin snapped out of his daze in order to reassure Harry. "Not at all Harry, that was simply remarkable! I'm afraid I was just stunned that you were able to achieve it on your first try!" He smiled softly and quietly murmured, "You truly are your parents' child."

A look of surprise flashed across Harry's face as he exclaimed ecstatically, "You knew my parents?!"

His Professor nodded and smiled wistfully as he replied, "Yes, your father was one of the first friends I made at Hogwarts. Your mother also became my friend; she was one of the kindest souls I've ever had the pleasure of knowing."

Harry looked at him thoughtfully. _If he was so close to my parents…then why didn't he ever come visit me or write to me...I thought I didn't have anyone! Did Dumbledore tell him not too? I feel like I'm missing so many pieces to this puzzle…_

Harry was snapped out of his musings as his worried Professor asked, "What is it Harry?"

Harry shook his head and replied, "It's nothing…It's just…I was wondering if you had a falling out with my parents...?" Lupin glanced at him confused. "Not at all, why do you ask?"

Harry looked down and mumbled, "If you were so close to my parents, I assume you knew me as a baby, but why didn't you come visit? Why wasn't I raised by you instead of the Dursleys?

Harry rubbed at his eyes feeling them sting a bit. He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Harry I would have loved to raise you, unfortunately there are certain…. circumstances, that I'm afraid I cannot discuss, that prevented me from taking you in. As for why I didn't visit, to be honest Dumbledore asked me not to. He believed it was for the best if I…kept my distance"

Harry looked up at his kind teacher and said quietly, "I understand…thanks for teaching me the charm…wou-would it be alright if I stopped by sometime to talk?"

The older man smiled softly and responded warmly, "You are welcome to come by anytime you like Harry, my door is always open to you."

Harry smiled back, but before being able to give his thanks, the door slammed open as Snape walked in, a goblet in hand.

"Mr. Potter if you would be so kind as to stop your gawking and move out of the way, I assure you I have more important things to do." Just as Harry was about to retort, Lupin stepped in between and took the goblet, "Thank you Severus, I truly appreciate this."

The Potions Professor merely grunted and spun around, leaving with a grand flourish of his cape.

"That smells awful Professor!" Harry grimaced and leaned away from the foul smelling goblet exclaiming, "Be careful, Snape might be trying to poison you!"

The Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor shook his head and replied, a small look of amusement of his face and responded, "Professor Snape, was kind enough to make this potion for me, I'm afraid I've been feeling a bit under the weather."

Harry took another look at his Professor and realized he did not look his best. He seemed incredibly weary, dark skin underneath his eyes. Harry felt even more grateful that Lupin had taken the time to teach him, despite the fact he was clearly not feeling well.

Harry realized that the Professor was still talking.

"-Harry, Snape is not out to get anyone, I know he's-"

"A foul greasy-haired-"

"-a bit on the rough side, but he's…not the bad man you make him out to be. He might not be kind, but Dumbledore trusts him. I trust him. Try to show him a bit more respect."

Upon Seeing Harry's look of outrage, he quickly added, "I'm not saying you have to like him, just treat him like your other professors alright?

Reluctant and still appearing rather mutinous, Harry nodded his assent and left after packing his things.

Back in his room Harry pulled the curtains shut around his bed and pulled out the diary.

Hello Tom!

 **Hello Harry, How are you?**

I'm great! I was able to produce a Patronus!

 **Well done Harry! What form did your Patronus take?**

…..form?

 **Oh…did the Professor not mention…a Patronus can take corporal form, in the shape of an animal. I assume you produced the barrier which is excellent and amazing at your age**

Yeah…Professor Lupin seemed pretty shocked that it actually worked.

 **I find it incredible as well Harry, but I know you are truly amazing, so I'm not really surprised.**

Thank you Tom, I think you're great as well. So what form was your Patronus?

 **Oh…actually I was never able to produce even a barrier..**

Really? But Tom you're so intelligent, I'm sorry I just assumed

 **No, it's alright Harry. If you recall, I'm sure your Professor mentioned what was needed in order to produce one**.

A happy thought?

 **Exactly. Unfortunately I'm afraid I was lacking in the happy memories category. Speaking of-what did you use if I may ask?**

Harry blushed before replying

I thought of you and Hermione...

 **Harry. I know without a doubt that if I had known you then…if I had you as a happy thought I would have been able to perform the spell.**

Harry felt himself turn even more red before quickly wishing Tom goodnight and laying down to study for a while before deciding it was time to sleep as he heard the footsteps of his roommates.

 _I can't wait to talk to Hermione tomorrow. I hope she had a good time at Hogsmeade…She better have brought me sweets._

Harry woke up and quickly got ready before running down to Hermione, whom he knew would be waiting for him to go to breakfast.

"Good-Morning Harry" Hermione exclaimed with a smile.

"Morning Hermione! How was Hogsmeade?"

She grinned and held out a bag of treats she had been holding behind her back. "It was fun, but I know it would have been even better if you were there with me"

Harry reached for the sweets with glee, only to have Hermione pull them away.

"Not before breakfast" she stated sternly. Harry pouted, "Just one little-?"

"Nope. Trust me on this, my parents are Dentists." She turned and walked away, a bounce in her step. Harry grumbled as he followed her out. She talked about the stores she visited and all the books she had seen as they made their way to the Grand Hall. As they sat down and began to pile their plates with food, Harry remembered his news.

"Hermione, I spent yesterday evening with Professor Lupin. Apparently he was friends with my parents, but he never visited or wrote because Dumbledore wasn't for it."

Hermione frowned, "I don't see why Dumbledore wouldn't want someone like Professor Lupin to be around you, or even raise you."

Harry nodded, "Me either. Anyway I asked him to teach us the Patronus charm and he agreed. We started yesterday and I was able to produce the simple barrier! It was so great Hermione, I can't wait for you to try it!"

Hermione choked on her glass of milk, sputtering she shrieked, "You did it on the first try?!"

As heads turned in their direction Harry hissed, "Shhh!"

Hermione covered her mouth, her eyes wide in shock. "Harry" she leaned in and whispered, "that's incredible! I mean, that's advanced magic that takes older people a lot of practice and studying, the fact that it came to you so easily... It's incredible, and mind-boggling!"

Harry shook his head. " I don't know how or why, It just came."

Hermione quickly got a determined look on her face. "Well, after classes today we'll head on over and I'll try. Harry grinned at her, "I know you'll get it in no time as well"

They headed off to the first class of the day together smiling and enjoying each others , classes were finished, and Hermione was eager to begin her lessons with Professor made their way to his office excited to spend more time in his company and to master the Patronus


	7. Chapter 7

I realize it's been forever, but thank you to everyone who left comments and(or) Favorited/Followed :)

I sadly do not own Harry Potter, but I own any/all mistakes/typos.

* * *

"Why is this so ridiculously difficult?" Hermione scowled, as the frustration grew at her latest failure to produce more than a small gasp of white smoke. Harry, sitting off to the side as to not be in her way, thought it best to not say anything. He knew his friend would not appreciate any platitudes or promises of success.

 _I'll wait for her to talk to me..._

"This is a highly-advanced spell Ms. Granger," Professor Lupin stated with a small smile. "You're honestly progressing magnificently, many are not capable of producing anything on their first tries"

Hermione sighed before turning to Harry. "What am I doing wrong Harry?"

Harry shook his head before replying, "It's not that you're doing anything wrong Hermione, it's just about the thought you chose. Try to pick something else, something that made you the happiest you've ever felt!" Hermione closed her eyes, and took a deep breath before crying out the incantation one more time. Light shined through the room as a barrier shot out and Hermione pushed the boggart dementor away. Hermione turned to Harry, grin on her face and eyes sparkling with happiness.

Harry shot up to embrace his friend. "Way to go Hermione! I knew you could do it!" She hugged him back before pulling away.

"I took your advice and picked a new happy thought."

The elder man smiled fondly at his two young students, happy they had each other for support. "If I may ask, what was your new inspiration Ms. Granger?" Hermione flushed a bit before replying.

"Harry was…well his friendship…I've never-I mean, I haven't ever had a friend like Harry. Someone I can trust completely who trusts me as well. I've always seemed to keep people at a distance. They didn't enjoy or appreciate…well my love for my studies." Taking a breath to compose herself she shot Harry a watery smile. "Thank you, Harry, for being the best friend I could ever possibly have."

Harry, throughout the entire speech had been rendered speechless, utterly unable to find his voice to respond. His eyes burned, his throat constricted by the urge to burst into tears.

 _Hermione…_

Clearing his throat, he attempted to adequately put all he was feeling, all he wanted to say into words. "I-I know what you mean Hermione. Before coming to Hogwarts…I never had any friends at all. I couldn't get close to anyone, they were afraid Dudley would beat them up for their association with me. However, even if I had made any friends, I know they could never be as amazing a friend…as you are Hermione." Harry had scarcely finished when Hermione had flung herself at him. Strands of her bushy hair tickled under his nose as he held her close. They embraced for a few moments before breaking apart simultaneously, grinning sheepishly at each other.

"True friendship can be difficult to come by, I am pleased you have found it, and hope you will strive to protect it with all you have." Lupin stated solemnly, with a hint of a pleased smile on his lips as he handed them each a handkerchief to wipe their slightly tear-stricken faces.

Knowing Lupin was correct, that he had found a true friend in Hermione, Harry finally felt ready to bare his last secret to her. He made up his mind to tell her about the diary, about Tom, later tonight. Harry closed his eyes as he silently pleaded that everything would work out. The last thing he wanted was to lose her.

 _Let her understand…Let her see what I see. He's not_ _ **him.**_

* * *

Harry felt quite at peace as he sat in front of the fire in silent solitude with Hermione that night. Having finished their homework, they had decided it would be a good idea to review each other's work for any mistakes. He paused after making a small grammatical note on his friend's essay. Glancing around, he was pleased to see the common room empty. Knowing now was the perfect moment to share his secret, he set the work aside. "Hermione?" he whispered.

"I thought we agreed not to point anything out until we finished going over everything Harry, it'll be much faster that way" she replied without looking over, seeming a bit frazzled.

Harry laughed quietly, "It's not anything with our work Hermione, I need to tell you something." She stopped nearly instantly and turned to him. Worry flashed through Hermione, however seeing the slight smile on his face made her feel more at ease.

"What is it Harry?" She questioned curiously. Her curiosity grew as she saw him pull out a small black book, placing it on his lap. Harry ran his hand over the book lovingly before turning to her.

 _Well…this is it. No backing down now. You can do this Harry._

Harry was quiet, attempting to decide where to best begin. He felt it would be easier to simply start from the beginning and hoped she would still be there when he finished. "Last year…amid everything that was happening, I stumbled upon this…journal. I-I was so alone and wrote in it...and _it wrote back Hermione"_ his voice filled with breathless excitement and wonder towards the end. Hermione was shocked at the notion of the book writing back, however she thought it prudent to say nothing as Harry was clearly not finished.

"Someone is trapped in the Journal. He…Tom…used to be a student here during the time the chamber was first opened, and he's my closet friend, along with you Hermione. When I was alone, he was there and we talked back and forth over everything and nothing. Then…then I was in the chamber of secrets, saving Ginny and Tom...Tom was there, and he told me…he told me he was Voldemort." Hermione gasped filled with terror at the thought of her friend alone with him. She was shocked to see he didn't seem scared. Simply silent as he reminisced. "I felt betrayed, my close friend turning out to be _him,_ but- _ **he's not**_ , I mean- not _really._ He hadn't really become Voldemort yet before being trapped in the Journal. Everything he knew about Voldemort, he got from Ginny. We talked it out… and we're still friends. He didn't hurt me or Ginny and he's still here. I'm going to find a way to save him Hermione. I have to." Finished, he stared down at the journal afraid to look at Hermione. _Is she horrified? Angry? Repulsed?_

He jumped as he felt her hand tentative on his shoulder. "Harry…are you sure you can trust him? He could be using you, to come back…" Hermione said gently.

Harry shook his head, a spark of anger at the idea. "No Hermione. Tom's my friend. I trust him. He could have killed me and he didn't. He _likes_ me Hermione. He had his chance to leave the Journal but he chose to go back." Hermione was quiet. Her emotions ran rampant, they swirled around in one huge jumbled mess, her thoughts raced quickly through her mind. She was worried and scared for her friend. Not knowing if she could trust the (spirit?) inside the journal. The last thing she wanted was for Harry to be hurt. Not to mention this was _Voldemort._

 _Although… was it truly Voldemort?_ Hermione had no doubt he had opened the chamber that first time, meaning he had been responsible for Myrtle's death. Who knows what else he had done as a student. True he hadn't actually killed anyone last year-could it have been because of Harry? Had he already become reluctant to commit more horrors? Hermione was torn. Part of her wanted to tell Harry what he so clearly and desperately wanted to hear, that it was alright, she understood. But she didn't-the other part of her wanted to knock him out and drag him-kicking and screaming if need be-right to Dumbledore. She wouldn't though. Hermione knew what had brought about this confession. They had declared themselves the truest of friends, and Hermione was touched he wanted to share this terrible secret with her. No, she would keep his secret but she had to settle certain doubts.

"Harry, I…I want to believe you, but I think…I need to speak to him myself." She stared at him determined, unwilling to back down. She had to see for herself how different Tom was from Voldemort. Had to try and see if he really cared for her dear friend.

 _She's…okay with it!_ Harry grinned, knowing the fact that she wished to speak to Tom herself meant she had already given in, even if she hadn't realized it yet. "You got it Hermione. Is right now good?"

She nodded, "As soon as possible." Hermione held out her hand to take the journal. Harry passed it to her gently, an eager smile on his face. She took the black object, hand trembling slightly. The young witch placed it gently on her lap, opening it slowly as if Tom would jump out at her any moment.

Hermione stopped, just as she was about to write her first letter. "Harry, would you mind…leaving us alone?"

 _She doesn't want me to see what she writes to him…_

Harry raised his eyebrow at her but nodded and got up to sit at a chair further away. Feeling more confident knowing Harry wouldn't be looking over her shoulder, she held her quill over the page and began to write.

Hello?

… **Who is this?**

It's Hermione, Harry's friend.

 **Hello Hermione, Harry has told me all about you. I see he has returned the courtesy.**

Yes. Harry told me _everything_ , I know who you really are Tom, or…at least I know who you will become. What are you trying to do? Why befriend Harry?

 **I see you don't trust me. That's wise, but you should realize Harry isn't quite trusting either. It took a while for him to open up to me. We…bonded. I know it must be hard to believe, I struggle with it myself but, I wish no harm onto Harry. Unfortunately, I cannot speak for…my other who roams your world. I myself however have...grown to care for Harry. I do not ask that you just take my word for it, but I hope you will allow me a chance to prove myself.**

Hermione felt shock course through her at the words disappearing before her eyes. She didn't understand how, but she felt Tom was being sincere. What Hermione wouldn't give to read what Tom and Harry had written to each other. It was obvious they were extremely close.

You're right. I don't trust you. I won't tell anyone about you, but I swear I'll set you on fire if you do anything to hurt Harry!

 **That is quite the threat, considering how much you value books…which is technically what I am.**

Not bothering to reply, Hermione scowled as she slammed the book shut and turned to look for Harry. Seeing him sitting not far off, she crossed the common room and handed the journal back carefully. Harry looked at her nervously.

 _I can't tell if she liked him or not? What is she going to do?_

Just as Harry was about to ask, his companion spoke. "I don't fully trust him, but I trust you Harry. Just, be careful okay?" Harry grinned and jumped up to hug her.

"Thanks Hermione! We should get some sleep okay? We'll talk more tomorrow…and go over our work."

"Okay, goodnight Harry."

"Goodnight Hermione" He replied before going to collect his things. He headed up to his dorm and put everything away before climbing onto his bed. Pulling shut the curtains around him he hurried to find his quill eager to converse with Tom.

 _Finally!_ Harry thought as he held up the quill triumphantly. He quickly opened the book and eagerly began to write.

 _Tom I'm so happy you and Hermione have met now!_

 **As am I Harry, you have a very good friend there. I'm…glad you have someone like her by your side.**

 _Yeah, Hermione is great. Speaking of how great she is, what did she say to you?_

 **I believe that is best kept between the two of us. Just know that everything is fine Harry.**

Harry pouted at being kept in the dark. He sighed.

 _Well, it's not like I really expected him to tell me._

 _You know, with Hermione in on it now, I'm sure she'll be able to help us find a way to get you out._

 **I'm sure, seeing as to how brilliant you've described her to be. However, I have to ask…is she aware as to the -extent of our…relationship?**

Harry blushed at the thought of him and Tom in a relationship.

 _No…she doesn't know anything about that. I thought it would be easier to tell her I made friends with someone in a book rather than, "Hey, I'm kind of in love with this bloke who's trapped in this book."_

 **Kind of in love?**

 _Shut up. You love me too._

 **I do. Now go to sleep Harry. There's no rush to get me out of here. I'm willing to wait if it means being able to hold you again.**

 _Goodnight Tom_

Face red-hot, Harry shut the book and put it away, stomach fluttering as it did every time Tom expressed such sentiment. Harry buried his face into his pillow sighing happily. He slept peacefully, dreaming of being in Tom's arms.


End file.
